Spirit-Based Ready-to-Drink Cocktails and Public Health Law: Modernization Without Deregulation

Clicks: 1
ID: 319637
2026
Free PDF
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal

Ranked #79 of 91 articles by views in Health Affairs Scholar

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Sign in to mint
Abstract
Abstract The United States alcohol-regulatory system classifies beverages by base ingredient—spirits, malt, or wine—rather than alcohol content. As a result, a canned vodka soda and a malt seltzer with the same alcohol content can be taxed, distributed, and sold under different rules. An industry-led alcohol-equivalency movement is pressing states to classify low-alcohol spirit-based ready-to-drink cocktails by alcohol content, producing tax reductions, expanded retail access, and federal container modernization. Drawing on state statutes, fiscal notes, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau rulemaking, and public health evidence, this Policy Inquiry argues that alcohol-content-based classification is defensible but should not become deregulation without safeguards. Among the measures identified, none pairs spirit-based ready-to-drink tax or retail-access liberalization with minimum unit pricing, dedicated harm-reduction revenue, modernized warning mechanisms, and alcohol-availability controls. The article proposes a framework combining standard-drink-based access limits, minimum unit pricing, dedicated revenue, point-of-sale alcohol information, retail-marketing guardrails, and combined state and local licensing authority.
Reference Key
openalex_W7167352104 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Y. Tony Yang
Journal Health Affairs Scholar
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/haschl/qxag170
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxag170
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.