Baltimore, MD (December 7, 2015)
On Wednesday, December 9 at 11am, at the Episcopal Diocesan Center, 4 East University Parkway, the Maryland Health Care For All! Coalition, public health leaders and key legislative leaders will unveil a new study just published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showing that the increase in the state alcohol sales tax enacted in 2011 led to a substantial drop in gonorrhea in Maryland. A study of the impact of the recent alcohol tax increase in Illinois reached similar conclusions.
The advocates also celebrated the fact that the vast majority of the revenue raised by the 2011 alcohol sales tax increase is going to fund the intended critical public health and community services, including programs to help people with developmental disabilities and substance abuse issues, and home and community based long term care.
“This new study shows that the 2011 Alcohol Sales Tax increase is saving lives because it led to a marked decrease in the rate of gonorrhea in Maryland,” said Vincent DeMarco, President of the Maryland Health Care For All! Coalition. “And, the money raised by the alcohol sales tax is being used to fund critical public health programs. We commend the General Assembly for enacting this life-saving public health measure and look forward to working with them to enact similar life-saving measures, such as our proposed one dollar per pack increase in the state tobacco tax.”
Click here to view the study on the American Journal of Preventive Medicine’s website.
The Health Care for All! Coalition is a broad-based coalition of over 1200 faith, labor, business and community groups that have been working to guarantee all Marylanders access to quality, affordable health care. To learn more, visit http://www.healthcareforall.com
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Last modified: December 9, 2015
