The Cost of Binge Drinking

Post date: 18-Nov-2015 13:03:34

Giovedì 3 DICEMBRE 2015, ore 13.00, Sala Riunioni Primo Piano

Relatore: Prof. Marco Francesconi, University of Essex, Departments of Economics

Titolo: The Cost of Binge Drinking

Abstract: We estimate the effect of binge drinking on accident and emergency attendances, road accidents, arrests, and the number of police officers on duty using a variety of unique data from Britain and a two-sample minimum distance estimation procedure. Our estimates, which reveal sizeable effects of bingeing on all outcomes, are then used to monetize the short-term externalities of binge drinking. We find that these externalities are on average £4.9 billion per year ($7 billion), about £80 for each man, woman, and child living in the UK. The price that internalizes this externality is equivalent to an additional 9p per alcoholic unit, implying a 20% increase with respect to the current average price.

Coautori: Jonathan James - University of Bath

Keywords: Alcohol, health, road accidents, arrests, externalities