Raising price of alcohol in one Canadian province led to fall in drinking, finds study

When the Canadian province of Saskatchewan increased the minimum price of alcohol by 10% in April 2010, consumption of all alcoholic drinks fell by 8.4%, a study shows. Over the same period consumption of alcohol did not change in the neighboring province of Alberta, which does not have minimum prices.

The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority has a monopoly on the distribution of alcohol and a partial monopoly on the sale of alcohol in liquor stores. The authority’s minimum prices apply to liquor store prices and to …