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Updated: 5:56 PM Feb 9, 2010
Two Bills Could Lead to Beer Tax Hike in West Virginia
Could beer really be the solution to the Mountain State's growing substance abuse problem?
Posted: 5:22 PM Feb 9, 2010Reporter: Brad Myers Email Address: Brad.Myers@wsaz.com |
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40 Comments 
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ-TV) -- Could beer really be the solution to West Virginia's growing substance abuse problem? Some lawmakers in Charleston say yes.
"I think there are a lot of members [in the House] and in the Senate that understand alcohol and drug abuse effects everyone," Kanawha County Delegate Nancy Guthrie (D) said. "Friends, neighbors, loved ones. If we don't have the money to help those folks, then it becomes a criminal problem in many cases."
That's why West Virginia lawmakers have introduced two bills that both call for a hike on the state's beer tax. The current tax has stayed at $5.55 per barrel since 1966. The first bill, introduced February 1st, calls for an increase to $11 per barrel, or one cent a can or bottle. The latest bill would increase the tax to $22 a barrel, or four cents a can or bottle.
It's that increase that lawmakers hope to earmark for substance abuse programs around West Virginia.
"What its going to do is help your friend, your neighbor, your spouse," Delegate Guthrie said. "Someone you probably know that has a substance abuse program to get the treatment that they need."
Folks like Carmella Harrera. She's currently in treatment for substance abuse and says these services are needed more than ever.
"First of all, its going to be a lot of lives saved," Harrera said. "It would mean a lot of families not having to suffer and a lot of people getting help to recover."
According to Kim Miller, manager of the Women's Addiction Treatment Services in Huntington, the vast majority of West Virginia's counties do not even offer any type of help.
"This is a golden opportunity to help more West Virginian's get treatment and recovery services that we so desperately need," Miller said. "We're at a critical shortage, and while were short on treatment services, people are literally dying."
Miller said helping countless individuals just by bumping up the beer tax is a no-brainer.
"It's estimated the beer tax proposal would generate somewhere near 10 million dollars a year for prevention, intervention and treatment programs in WV," Miller said. "Right now, the system that we have operate on $8 million a year. That will double the people we can help today."
Latest Comments
You can not tax yourself out of a recesion.....socialist
Wht don't you put about 2 dollars a can tax on it?If everyone could see the effects in has on an unborn baby maybe they would change there mind.It only gets worse the older they get.Now there is a law that should be worked on also.Prosecute all women that drink and do drugs while pregant.
Why does this state think taxes are the answer to everything? Recently, the best thing to happen to the American Public has been shutting down the government due to weather. If they only met one day a year we'd all be better off.
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