Alcohol levy will tax firms to line pockets

Article 8 of the Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendment) Bill, 2012 gives the relevant Cabinet Secretary power to charge brewers and importers of alcoholic beverages a “treatment and rehabilitation levy” of not less than two per cent of the price of the alcoholic drinks at the point of manufacture or importation.

The immediate result of the levy will be to increase the prices of these alcoholic drinks across the board, undermining the war against illicit drinks and narcotic drugs such as bhang.