Alcohol Taxes Saving Lives in Alaska

A recent study of mortality and tax data in Alaska reports increases in state taxes on alcohol purchases led to declines in death due to alcohol-related causes. See abstract below:

Effects of Alcohol Tax Increases on Alcohol-Related Disease Mortality in Alaska: Time-Series Analyses from 1976 to 2004

Alexander C. Wagenaar, Mildred M. Maldonado-Molina, Bradley H. Wagenaar

Objective. We evaluated the effects of tax increases on alcoholic beverages in 1983 and 2002 on alcohol-related disease mortality in Alaska.

Methods. We used a quasi-experimental design with quarterly measures of mortality from 1976 though 2004, and we included other states for comparison. Our statistical approach combined an auto regressive integrated moving average model with structural parameters in interrupted time-series models.

Results. We observed statistically significant reductions in the numbers and rates of deaths caused by alcohol-related disease beginning immediately after the 1983 and 2002 alcohol tax increases in Alaska. In terms of effect size, the reductions were –29% (Cohen’s d=–0.57) and –11% (Cohen’s d=–0.52) for the 2 tax increases. Statistical tests of temporary-effect models versus long-term effect models showed little dissipation of the effect over time.

Conclusions. Increases in alcohol excise tax rates were associated with immediate and sustained reductions in alcohol-related disease mortality in Alaska. Reductions in mortality occurred after 2 tax increases almost 20 years apart. Taxing alcoholic beverages is an effective public health strategy for reducing the burden of alcohol-related disease.

Nancy Reed passed along the following information related to adolescent substance abuse treatment.

Bulletin Analyzes Co-occurrence of Substance-Related Behaviors
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has published "Co-occurrence of Substance Use Behaviors in Youth."

The bulletin draws on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to analyze the prevalence and overlap of substance-related behaviors among youth. The central finding of this analysis is that given one substance-related behavior, other substance-related behaviors become more likely.

Click here for a copy of the bulletin. Below is the abstract:

Examines the prevalence and overlap of substance-related behaviors among youth, making comparisons based on age group, gender, and race/ethnicity. Findings reported in this Bulletin are drawn from the first two stages of the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, which gathered self-reports from a nationally representative sample of youth ages 12–17 in 1997 and 1998. The data are derived from questions survey participants answered regarding their alcohol and drug use during the previous 30 days, including the frequency of their consumption, the types of drugs used, and whether they had sold drugs. The central finding was that, given one substance-related behavior, other substance-related behaviors became much more likely.

Here's a training opportunity reminder:

On behalf of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), a new training opportunity has been added to the Adolescence and Substance Abuse section of the NCTSN website.

A presentation by Dr. Robert Pynoos titled, "Youth with Trauma Histories, PTSD, and Co-Occurring Substance Abuse" has been added. The presentation explores the relationship between youth with trauma histories and co-occurring substance abuse disorders as well as assessment and treatment strategies. View the presentation by clicking on this website.

Trauma, PTSD and Substance Use

This note crossed our transom:

Grantees:
On behalf of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network I would like to pass along to all of you a new training opportunity. Please see the announcement below.

I would like to announce a new addition to the Adolescence and Substance Abuse section of the NCTSN website. A presentation by Dr. Robert Pynoos has been added titled, “Youth with Trauma Histories, PTSD, and Co-Occurring Substance Abuse”. The presentation explores the relationship between youth with trauma histories and co-occurring substance abuse disorders as well as assessment and treatment strategies. I hope everyone will enjoy this new resource.

http://nctsn.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=ctr_top_adol

Thanks,

Carly B. Dierkhising, MA
Program Coordinator, Service Systems
National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, UCLA
cdierkhising@mednet.ucla.edu
p: 310-235-2633

The site listed above contains a ton of information for MH and SA providers, as well as families and youth, not just the particular presentation referenced.