Thai Police Admit Rising Tobacco, Alcohol Taxes Affect Crime Rates

[Thai at Heart]

OK, I am quit surprised to find, after further research, that yes, increased taxes/prices on alcohol, does in western cultures, result in reduced crime levels... I wonder if the same would hold true here - note that there was a difference between the US/UK/Australia, and the Scandinavian country's results. The full PDF is available on line...

Titled -

Alcohol pricing and criminal harm: a rapid evidence assessment of the published research literature

Authors -

Andrew Booth^{- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield}

Petra Meier ^{- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield}

Joanna Shapland ^{- School of Law, Sheffield}

Ruth Wong ^{- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield}

Suzy Paisley ^{- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield}

•

Overall crime: Taxation decreases were associated with increased overall crime rates, and taxation increases with decreased rates of crime.

•

Violent crime: While taxation increases in Australia and the US led to reductions in violent crime, studies on taxation decreases in Scandinavia found no significant effects on violent crime. Several correlational studies,bincluding studies from the UK, supported an association of cheaper alcohol with higher violent crime rates. With two exceptions, modelling studies estimate that higher prices were associated with reductions in violent crime.

•

Sexual assault: Most studies are based on modelling, which consistently links higher alcohol prices to lower rates of sexual violence. This finding was supported by one study that analysed the effects of actual price variations.

In Scandinavia it's taxed to hell anyway. No one notices the increase.

If the entire population on average drinks a little less there are fewer punch ups, fewer brawls, fewer drink drivers, fewer family disturbances on the average.

Of course, out wonderful policeman here is taking out of his backside, but if course TIT.

[Sayonarax]

I was about to commit my first felony over the 8 baht rise in smokes.

[Wavefloater]

Its not a ridiculous statement at all - as several have posted here, in virtually all other countries where the excise on alcohol and tobacco has been increased to "curb the use by making it more expensive", all that happens is that it does reduce some of the usage (probaly those who are on the cusp of giving up or not really hard addicts), but it also increases petty crimes especially, and in extreme cases of course some do turn to crimes with violence to steal larger quantities for the ever present black market (obviously not at this level of increased tax, but it can get worse as the taxes increase the value of the commodity).

Yes, I would really like to see statistics that prove usage is reduced as a result of raising taxes on tobacco and booze. How many people reading this actually know anybody who has quit using either of these substances directly due to tax increase? I don't know anyone, and I'm not a spring chicken. People will not make a serious effort to quit addictive substances unless they have a strong personal reason to do so. Price isn't a good enough personal reason.

Many countries have found out (too late) that raising "sin taxes" too far have a negative effect, and the main outcome is that a stronger black market occurs to serve people who can't pay (or don't want to pay) overly taxed prices for their sinful pleasures. The other thing that people do is to drop down in quality. For example, Marlboro cigarettes cost 78 baht before the price rise. I suspect they're somewhere in the min-80's to 90 baht a pack now. Lots of people will change to L&M's that are now priced somewhere in the mid-60's rather than quit completely.

Governments tell us that they are raising prices due to health concerns and rising medical cost, but we should all know that that's complete BS. They can't spend responsibly, so they take the easy route and make addicts help with capital shortfalls.

[chooka]

I was about to commit my first felony over the 8 baht rise in smokes.

8 baht is not much to most farangs in Thailand but how much is it to a Thai on the minimum wage? Cigarettes are already far more expensive in Thailand compared to most western countries. Stop looking at it from a farang perspective and see it from Thai eyes if possible.

The average price of a packet of cigs in Thailand is around what?, 66 baht and the minimum Thai daily wage is around 180 baht. Using Australia as a western example the minimum daily wage is around $150 AUD and the average cost a packet of cigs (pack 20's) is about $15 AUD. You calculate the percentages. If the keep raising the taxes in thailand putting them out of reach to those addicted to nicotine what are they going to do if they can't afford to buy them? I have lost count of the amount of ciggarete burglaries I have attended in Melbourne, Australia, cigarettes that are then quickly sold on the black market a a fraction of the cost and every single person who buys a pack is committing a crime of receiving or handling stolen property,