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Privatization of retail alcohol sales occurs when government control over sales is repealed, allowing commercial retailers to sell alcoholic beverages. Privatization generally applies only to off-premise outlets, such as liquor stores, and can occur at various levels of government (CG-Alcohol).
There is strong evidence that privatization, repealing government control and allowing commercial retailing of alcoholic beverages, increases per capita alcohol consumption (CG-Alcohol, Treno 2014). Per capita alcohol consumption is a well-established proxy for excessive consumption (CG-Alcohol). Privatization is also associated with increases in alcohol-related mortality and health problems (Treno 2014).
A Pennsylvania-based study suggests that privatization of alcohol retail sales may increase alcohol outlet density (Grubesic 2012), which has also been shown to contribute to increased alcohol consumption (CG-Alcohol). A Washington-based study indicates increases in the number of alcohol outlets and assaults following privatization of wholesale distribution and retail sales of alcohol (Tabb 2016).
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