Sri Lanka, May 4 -- A recent Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) fact sheet has highlighted the growing economic and social consequences of not consistently increasing alcohol taxes over the past two years, pointing to rising consumption levels and mounting pressure on Sri Lanka's healthcare system.

According to the data, a 20 percent increase in alcohol taxes in 2023 led to a notable decline in alcohol sales by 8.3 million absolute liters compared to 2022. Government revenue from alcohol taxation also rose by Rs. 11.6 billion during that period.

A further 20 percent tax increase at the beginning of 2024 - following consecutive hikes of 14 percent and 6 percent - resulted in an additional drop in alcohol sales by 430,000 absolute...