shades fills you in

This NBC News Op argues we should raise taxes on alcohol. Alcohol is a scourge, and its price has only gone down over the years. Let’s impose a “sin tax” to help people drink less

This Hill Op agrees: Alcohol these days is way too cheap. Raising alcohol taxes would reduce drunk driving deaths, violent crime, and alcohol-related health issues

But Business Insider says the problem with these sin taxes is that they disproportionately affect the poor. And they, obviously, can least afford to pay more in taxes

The Economist adds: they’re inefficient “blunt policy instruments” -- meaning they punish casual and heavy drinkers both. Also, they may not actually save the society much money in the end

But Vox argues that the benefits still outweigh the costs. Even a small increase could save thousands of lives each year, would mostly affect heavy drinkers, and wouldn’t hurt poor people nearly as much as some claim