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The Cost of Alcopops to Youth and California |
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From Marin Institute: The deaths of 21 California youth could be prevented each year if the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) votes to correctly tax alcopops as distilled spirits instead of beer. This is just one of a number of dramatic findings made public today as Marin Institute releases its report "The Cost of Alcopops to Youth and California." "By correctly taxing alcopops as distilled spirits, we could see a 35 percent decrease in the number of youth drinking alcopops." The report also finds that proper taxation of alcopops would save the State $437 million annually by reducing incidences of harm, such as traffic accidents, violent crime, high-risk sex, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Called "cocktails on training wheels" they derive much of their alcohol from distilled spirits and are often branded with spirit names such as "Smirnoff Ice." Thanks to a government petition filed by two youth groups, California Friday Night Live Partnership and California Youth Council, three BOE board members (Betty Yee, Judy Chu and State Controller John Chiang) voted to consider reclassifying alcopops as distilled spirits. "By a simple majority vote, the BOE could save the lives of 21 youths each year in California," said Bruce Livingstone, MPP, Executive Director of Marin Institute.
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