title: Differences in liquor prices between control state-operated and license-state retail outlets in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to compare the average price of liquor in the United States between retail alcohol outlets in states that have a monopoly ('control' states) with those that do not ('licence' states).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of brand-specific alcohol prices in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined the average prices in February 2012 of 74 brands of liquor among the 13 control states that maintain a monopoly on liquor sales at the retail level and among a sample of 50 license-state liquor stores, using their online-available prices.
  
  
  METHODS
  We calculated average prices for 74 brands of liquor by control versus license state. We used a random-effects regression model to estimate differences between control and license state prices-overall and by alcoholic beverage type. We also compared prices between the 13 control states.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall mean price for the 74 brands was $27.79 in the license states [95% confidence interval (CI): $25.26-30.32] and $29.82 in the control states (95% CI: $26.98-32.66). Based on the random-effects linear regression model, the average liquor price was approximately $2 lower (6.9% lower) in license states.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the United States monopoly of alcohol retail outlets appears to be associated with slightly higher liquor prices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA. mbsiegel@bu.edu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: DeJong
authors.forename: Alison B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Albers
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Naimi
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Jernigan
mesh_terms: D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000191:economics*; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000191:economics*; D011332:Privatization / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States