Campbell Live had a typically sanctimonious piece on the number of liquor stores in Manukau recently. Amongst other things it pointed out three liquor stores within a few hundred metres of each other – so what?
Are the foolish people of Manukau really drinking more because there are three rather than one liquor stores in one place?
You could argue that more stores causes more drinking through increased competition driving down prices. Then the obvious answer would be jacking up taxes rather than restricting the number of stores as done for cigarettes. Have we tried restricting the number of cigarette outlets?
2 responses so far ↓
Matt // 22 June, 2008 at 9:24 pm |
Read the research; it does make a difference in and of itself as a factor, over and above other factors.
Richard // 22 June, 2008 at 9:35 pm |
Feel free to link to some.