title: Does minimum pricing reduce alcohol consumption? The experience of a Canadian province.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Minimum alcohol prices in British Columbia have been adjusted intermittently over the past 20 years. The present study estimates impacts of these adjustments on alcohol consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Time-series and longitudinal models of aggregate alcohol consumption with price and other economic data as independent variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  British Columbia (BC), Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population of British Columbia, Canada, aged 15 years and over.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on alcohol prices and sales for different beverages were provided by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch for 1989-2010. Data on household income were sourced from Statistics Canada.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal estimates suggest that a 10% increase in the minimum price of an alcoholic beverage reduced its consumption relative to other beverages by 16.1% (P < 0.001). Time-series estimates indicate that a 10% increase in minimum prices reduced consumption of spirits and liqueurs by 6.8% (P = 0.004), wine by 8.9% (P = 0.033), alcoholic sodas and ciders by 13.9% (P = 0.067), beer by 1.5% (P = 0.043) and all alcoholic drinks by 3.4% (P = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increases in minimum prices of alcoholic beverages can substantially reduce alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada. timstock@uvic.ca
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stockwell
authors.forename: M Christopher
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Auld
authors.forename: Jinhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001955:British Columbia; D003132:Commerce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult