Potential Health Effects of Changes to the Kansas Liquor Control Act

Copyright

2014

Published By

Health Impact Project

This HIA was conducted to inform the state’s decision on whether to revise the Kansas Liquor Control Act to allow convenience and grocery stores to hold retail liquor licenses. The law, which has been in place for more than 60 years, currently allows only liquor stores to sell spirits, wine, and beer with higher alcohol content. The HIA assessed how changes in the law could affect health. Potential positive health effects of expanding state liquor licenses could include the creation of hospitality jobs and changes in local and state revenue, which might improve quality of life, for example. Potential negative health impacts could result primarily from greater access to liquor—for example, increases in underage drinking, binge drinking, driving under the influence, and associated health consequences, including more injuries and deaths. The bill died in committee.

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This Health Impact Assessment Report first appeared in The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health. The Cross-Sector Toolkit for Health was originally developed by the Health Impact Project, formerly a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. The creation of this resource was supported by a grant from the Health Impact Project. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Charitable Trusts, or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.