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Underage and adult excessive drinking account for one half of the alcohol beverage industry's sales and profits -- $56.9 billion of the total $116.2 billion Americans spend on alcohol each year, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Illegal and problem drinking are by far the nation's number one drug problem, inflicting massive economic, social and health burdens on society.
Because the alcohol industry owes an enormous portion of its profits to illegal, dangerous and harmful drinking, it bears a responsibility to help solve these costly and devastating public health problems. Reforms in alcohol advertising and marketing, active cooperation with local law enforcement and community groups, and product excise taxes to fund prevention and treatment programs are just some of the solutions in which the industry can and should play a vital and willing role.
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