Alcohol taxation policy in Kyrgyzstan (2017)

Increasing the price of alcohol is one of the most effective policy measures to reduce overall consumption in a country, and hence to reduce the level of alcohol-related harm. Taxation is a common way to control the price of alcoholic beverages, and when adjusted according to inflation, it can be an effective measure to reduce harm while providing revenue for governments. This new report outlines the alcohol taxation policy in Kyrgyzstan between 2006 and 2016, and its impact on revenue and alcohol-related harm. Implementation of strong policies in the period 2012–2014 reduced the affordability of alcohol and resulted in a decline in alcohol turnover and consumption and alcohol-related harm. While taxation policies in Kyrgyzstan appear to have had a positive impact, tax increases should be accompanied by government efforts to control the production, sale and consumption of illicit alcohol.