A new report from a task force of national public health experts recommends against further privatization of retail alcohol sales.
The report, released in April, is the most definitive statement on retail alcohol privatization issued to date by U.S. public health researchers. It deserves close examination as Pennsylvania lawmakers consider a proposal to privatize state wine and spirits stores.
In a statement, the researchers wrote: “The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends against the further privatization of alcohol sales in settings with current government control of retail sales, based on strong evidence that privatization results in increase per capita alcohol consumption, a well-established proxy for excessive consumption.”
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