TY - UNPB

T1 - Longer opening hours, alcohol consumption and health

AU - Green, Colin Peter

AU - Hollingsworth, Bruce Philip

AU - Navarro Paniagua, Maria

PY - 2015/12

Y1 - 2015/12

N2 - Two related issues in public policy with respect to alcohol are how increased availability influences consumption and what effect excess consumption has on individual health outcomes. This paper examines one particular source of variation in availability, bar opening hours, and how this influences alcohol consumption, physical and mental health. We focus on the extension of opening hours in England and Wales that occurred in 2005. We demonstrate a marked increase in consumption, which appears to be concentrated in heavy drinking. This increase in consumption is subsequently demonstrated to lead to deterioration in both individual physical and mental health outcomes. This has important policy implications for the regulation of alcohol availability.

AB - Two related issues in public policy with respect to alcohol are how increased availability influences consumption and what effect excess consumption has on individual health outcomes. This paper examines one particular source of variation in availability, bar opening hours, and how this influences alcohol consumption, physical and mental health. We focus on the extension of opening hours in England and Wales that occurred in 2005. We demonstrate a marked increase in consumption, which appears to be concentrated in heavy drinking. This increase in consumption is subsequently demonstrated to lead to deterioration in both individual physical and mental health outcomes. This has important policy implications for the regulation of alcohol availability.

KW - Alcohol Availability

KW - Health

KW - Alcohol Consumption

M3 - Working paper

T3 - Economics working paper series

BT - Longer opening hours, alcohol consumption and health

PB - Lancaster University, Department of Economics

CY - Lancaster

ER -