Alcohol. Discuss!

This is a great article from the BBC magazine which could equally be used in PSHE discussions - there is a distinct danger that that a class debate on some of the topics introduced here could spill well outside a typical market failure lesson – but that may not be such a bad thing!

After reading the article (there are some interesting reader comments at the end if viewing online) the discussion could suit a wide range of areas, either to be discussed individually, in pairs or as a whole class. I’ve posted some possible starter questions below but I’m sure there are many more:

• At what age should alcohol be introduced to children?
• Should there be an age limit on purchase and/or consumption of alcohol?
• Should it be 18 (if not what age should it be)?
• Do people have enough facts about alcohol?
• Is it up to the government to solve this problem?
• Can it be left up to families to provide the right information and guidance?
• What problems does over-consumption of alcohol bring to society?
• Is this ‘market failure’?
• Who should bear the costs involved?
• Should alcoholic drinks be taxed?
• Should the same tax rate be levied on all alcohol?
• What should be done with that tax revenue?
• How effective is a tax on solving this problematic area?

Depending on the students involved and content of course already covered, these discussions could be heavily orientated towards the technical side of the economics course with the focus being on revising textbook market failure definitions and diagrams. Alternatively it may suit a much more discursive approach focussing on some of the questions put forward above and solutions to market failure.