Posted on 12/10/2015 12:38:49 PM PST by DogByte6RER
Alcohol Tax Hike in US 'Lowers Gonorrhea Rates'
Tax hikes could help prevent sexually transmitted infections, scientists have claimed, after cases of gonorrhea fell 24% in Maryland since the introduction of alcohol price increases.
According research by the University of Florida, since tax increases on alcohol largely decrease consumption, and less excessive drinking reduces 'risky' sexual behaviour, STI rates can be positively impacted by the measure.
Researchers claim that in the 18 months after Maryland increased its alcohol taxes from 6% to 9%, there were 2,400 fewer statewide cases of gonorrhea. The team used data from the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System for 102 months prior to the tax increase and 18 months after the tax increase.
"If policymakers are looking for methods to protect young people from harmful STIs, they should consider raising alcohol taxes, which have decreased remarkably over the years due to inflation," said Stephanie Staras, an assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine department of health outcomes and policy and the study's lead researcher.
The University of Florida claims its study is the first to quantify the effect of alcohol taxes on the rate of sexually transmitted infections.
As part of the study, an academic group compared trends in sexually transmitted diseases in Maryland with three groups of other states.
First, the researchers compared Maryland's data with those states that have a similar alcohol sales method but did not increase alcohol taxes. Second, the group compared Maryland to states with similar trends in sexually transmitted diseases. Finally, Maryland was compared with Rhode Island to account for potential regional contributions to sexually transmitted disease trends.
The research team did not find any effect on chlamydia rates or any differences across age, race or ethnicity, or gender, adding that this lack of difference across various demographics suggests the tax may have "influenced all individuals similarly".
The rate of gonorrhea infections decreased an additional 24% in Maryland compared with these control states after the increased tax went into effect.
"Right now, the only population-level intervention for STIs recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is condom distribution," added Staras. "However, the effects we observed in this study are comparable to the effectiveness of condom distribution, and taxes generate revenue rather than spend it - making it a powerful option for policymakers to consider."
Prohibition enacted in the 1920s still couldn't reduce gangster Al "Scarface" Capone's chances of contracting syphilis ...
New Jersey! lol
Maybe scientists could do a study of STD rates at bars with these vintage 1940s posters prominently featured throughout the establishments ...
Morality and moralizing are bad things, doncha know? The rise in STDs should be celebrated as signs of the grand demise of those twin evils. /s
Hold my coke and ..ew no I’m not touching that! Give me my coke back.
Thanks to them I spent a number of years eating margarine....that really sucks.
In summary - we got money from the government to study the effect of increased alcohol taxes on gonorrhea rates and discovered that federal funding reduces the objectiveness, accuracy, and quality of research.
Great collection, thanks for posting.
This is crap research. Single variable and linear.
“Researchers” is a bunch of grad students on Saturday afternoon on the internet. U of F should be embarrassed to be associated with this junk. Sadly, it is not.
No where in this piece (of crap masquerading as social science) does it say scientists. Researchers for stuff like this are usually grad students.
As a doctor told my dear x the best birth control is aspirin, put a tablet between your knees.
What type of “scientists” and “researchers”? Climatologists?
Drinking causes venereal disease.
I had a soldier tell me once he never caught diseases from prostitutes because of alcohol.
He would pour a drink, then after finishing with the girl he would pour the drink on his pecker and rub the alcohol all over it.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
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