abstract: 'At a time when the government of Iceland is considering privatization of

  alcohol sales and a reduction of its governmental fees, it is timely to

  estimate the potential effects of this policy change. Given that the

  privatization of sales coupled with a tax reduction should lead to a

  decrease in the unit price of alcohol, one would expect the quantity

  consumed to increase. While it is of interest to project the impact of

  the proposed bill on the market for alcohol, another important

  consideration is the impact that increased alcohol consumption and, more

  specifically, probable alcohol misuse would have on other markets in

  Iceland. The only available study on this subject using Icelandic data

  yields surprising results. Tmasson et al. (Scand J Public Health

  32:47-52, 2004) unexpectedly found no effect of probable alcohol abuse

  on sick leave. A logical next step would be to examine the effect of

  probable alcohol abuse on other important labor-market outcomes.

  Nationally representative survey data from 2002 allow for an analysis of

  probable misuse of alcohol and labor-supply choices. Labor-supply

  choices are considered with reference to possible effects of policies

  already in force, as well as proposed changes to current policies.

  Contrary to intuition, but in agreement with the previously mentioned

  Icelandic study, the adverse effects of probable misuse of alcohol on

  employment status or hours worked are not confirmed within this sample.

  The reasons for the results are unclear, although some suggestions are

  hypothesized. Currently, data to test those theories convincingly are

  not available.'
affiliation: 'Asgeirsdottir, TL (Corresponding Author), Univ Iceland, Dept Econ, IS-101
  Reykjavik, Iceland.

  Asgeirsdottir, Tinna Laufey, Univ Iceland, Dept Econ, IS-101 Reykjavik, Iceland.

  McGeary, Kerry Anne, Drexel Univ, Dept Econ \& Int Business, Philadelphia, PA 19104
  USA.'
author: Asgeirsdottir, Tinna Laufey and McGeary, Kerry Anne
author-email: 'ta@hi.is

  kmcgeary@drexel.edu'
author_list:
- family: Asgeirsdottir
  given: Tinna Laufey
- family: McGeary
  given: Kerry Anne
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s10198-009-0159-0
eissn: 1618-7601
files: []
issn: 1618-7598
journal: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS
keywords: Alcohol; Labor supply; Employment; Hours worked; Iceland
keywords-plus: 'SELF-RATED HEALTH; SAMPLE SELECTION; FOLLOW-UP; MORTALITY; INEQUALITIES;

  CONSUMPTION; EMPLOYMENT; DRINKING; ABUSE'
language: English
month: OCT
number: '4'
number-of-cited-references: '40'
pages: 455-465
papis_id: 9af94be3ad38ef4157830ac98dd865d2
ref: Asgeirsdottir2009alcohollabor
researcherid-numbers: Ásgeirsdóttir, Tinna Laufey/ISA-3677-2023
times-cited: '1'
title: 'Alcohol and labor supply: the case of Iceland'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000269210200010
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '5'
volume: '10'
web-of-science-categories: Economics; Health Policy \& Services
year: '2009'