Dear colleague,
The alcohol deficit is the difference between what the government earns in tax revenue from the sale of alcohol and what it spends for harms related to alcohol use. It is high in Canada — estimated at $6.4 billion in 2020 (the latest year for which we have data). Alcohol use generates a higher public cost for healthcare, lost productivity and criminal justice than the tax dollars it brings in. This deficit represents a huge need for policies and programs to reduce alcohol-related harms in our society.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction and the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research recently had an article published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs with the latest evidence on Canada’s alcohol deficit. We also summarized six key findings in a new poster. Our study estimates the deficit from alcohol use over a 14-year period, from 2007 to 2020, increased by 122%.
Everyone in Canada is affected by alcohol use and the associated harms. We invite you to learn more about the study and to share this poster with your networks to raise awareness about the alcohol deficit and its impact on society.
For questions and comments, please email Dr. Adam Sherk at asherk@ccsa.ca.
Thank you.