Podcast Considers the Alcohol Tax

Departmental News

Posted: March 24, 2025

New Mexico ranks among the top five states for alcohol-related fatalities—but could a higher alcohol tax help? UNM economics professor Brady Horn thinks so. In the latest episode of It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science, titled “How a Higher Alcohol Tax Could Save Lives,” Horn shares data showing that states like Illinois, Maryland, and Alaska have seen fewer drunk-driving deaths after increasing their alcohol taxes. Horn and graduate student, Ana Paula Milan, are expanding their research to explore how taxes impact different types of drinkers.