Investing in public health: The urgent need for higher alcohol taxes

by: NM Senators Antoinette Sedillo Lopez and Shannon Pinto; Representatives Joanne Ferrary, Kathleen Cates, Liz Thomson and D. Wonda Johnson

In the 260 days since the last attempted alcohol tax increase during the 2024 legislative session, about 1,400 people in New Mexico have died from alcohol-related causes—more than twice as many as those who have died from opioid overdose. Drinking too much alcohol is linked to serious issues in our communities, like gun violence, crime, domestic violence, and car accidents, as well as health problems like breast cancer, stroke, and hypertension. New Mexico has had the highest rates of alcohol-related deaths in the country since 1997, and we need different strategies to tackle this public health crisis.

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