Raise the Price of San Miguel, People will Drink Ginebra

Sin taxers have been raising the taxes of beer and other liquors, thinking people would stop drinking and the world would be a happy, shiny place. Wrong. The beer drinkers switch to the heavyweights to save money. Here's the example from the alcoholic heavyweights themselves, the Aussies:

The Distilled Spirits Industry Council says the latest figures show sales of pre-mixed alcoholic drinks have fallen by almost 40 per cent since last month's tax increase. But sales of bottles of pure spirits have increased by about 20 per cent. Council spokesman Steve Riden says that means more people are mixing their drinks themselves

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