The Societal Costs of Alcohol Misuse In Australia

It is well documented that alcohol-related problems compromise individual and social health, and wellbeing. The individual harms are numerous, including premature death, loss of enjoyment and loss of social utility through fear of crime and victimisation. The misuse of alcohol, particularly among those most at risk in our community, presents a major challenge for all levels of government. In this paper, The societal costs of alcohol misuse in Australia by Matthew Manning, Christine Smith and Paul Mazerolle of the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), a study is presented that provides a better national-level estimate of the costs of alcohol-related problems in Australia.
Despite taking a conservative estimate, the aggregate of a range of societal costs substantially outweighs the tax revenue for the Commonwealth generated from the sale of alcohol. Results of this study provide evidence to policymakers regarding costs to the criminal justice system, costs to the health system, costs resulting from lost productivity and costs related to alcohol-related road accidents. Such evidence will provide an understanding of the economic tradeoffs that are present when making decisions that affect all Australians. (APO 2/4/13)