BY RICHARD SKOLNIK
Los Alamos

One essential part of reducing alcohol-related deaths in New Mexico will be raising taxes on alcohol. The evidence shows that every 10% increase in alcohol taxes leads to a 7% decrease in consumption. My commentary of December 15 (https://losalamosreporter.com/2023/12/14/alcohol-related-deaths-are-new-mexican-lives-really-worth-only-115/) focused on this issue, especially in light of recent information about the apparent “sell out” of our state officials to some lobbyists on alcohol taxes. 

The article also referred to using alcohol taxes to fund other measures to reduce alcohol consumption. Indeed, as a number of people kindly and correctly highlighted in response to my article, addressing “excess alcohol consumption” and alcohol-related deaths requires a package of policies that go beyond taxes. Evidence shows that the most important of these include:

• Making it more difficult to purchase alcohol by reducing the points of sale, reducing the hours of sale, and reducing sales to minors;

• Laws that hold alcohol retail establishments liable for injuries or harms caused by illegal sales or service to intoxicated or underage customers;

• Helping to make alcohol less acceptable socially by reducing advertising for alcohol and through education and counseling;

• Rigorous enforcement of “drunk driving” laws and imposition of penalties that deter driving while intoxicated; and,

• Alcohol screening and brief interventions in clinical settings and screening and interventions through electronic devices, such as cell phones or computers.

New Mexico has the highest rate of alcohol-related deaths in the US and “excess alcohol consumption” and related deaths have enormous health, social and economic costs. 

Yet, this problem is amenable to evidence-based policy action. Nonetheless, for as long as one can go back, New Mexico’s policymakers have failed to adequately address excess alcohol consumption and alcohol-related deaths. 

We need to do in New Mexico for alcohol what we have done for tobacco and change society’s view and use of it. We also need to stop accepting New Mexico’s being “number one” or “last” in so many bad things like alcohol-related deaths, child well-being, and high school completion.

The next legislative session will start in January. I can’t encourage you (and your family and friends) enough to write to the governor and your elected representatives, along the following lines, modified as you see fit. Without very intense lobbying by the public, the legislature is unlikely to pass and the Governor is unlikely to sign legislation on the needed policy package.  

“Dear Governor Lujan-Grisham, Senator Gonzales, Senator Jaramillo, and Representative Chandler:

“Please ensure that the next legislative session passes a package of evidence-based interventions to reduce excess alcohol consumption and alcohol-related deaths in New Mexico. 

“As you know, such a package includes: raising alcohol taxes; reducing points of sale, hours of sale and sales to minors; laws that hold alcohol retail establishments liable for injuries related to sales to intoxicated or underage customers; reduction in alcohol advertising; education and counseling about the harms of alcohol; enforcement of drunk-driving laws; and, screening and brief counseling in clinical settings and through electronic means.

“This issue can be addressed to a large extent through sound state government policies. 

As a proud New Mexican, therefore, I am no longer willing to accept our being first in the US in alcohol-related deaths, with its related health, social, and economic costs, 

“Please stop putting other interests ahead of the interests of our people and put an end to the many years of government failure on this matter.”

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