[stormbeard]

So what? People drinking less alcohol is something we should strive for, but I don't see the problem with taxing it and using the income to fund schools. Yes, if people drink less alcohol that will be less money for schools, but that does not automatically mean it will be less money than they receive today.

[triceratops]

If people drink less alcohol politicians will have to raise tax revenue some other way, or cut school funding. Either one may cost them re-election. So maybe they won't try so hard to reduce alcohol consumption. In the extreme, sociopathic case, they could tank funding for addiction programs, to take one hypothetical.

The point is: misaligned incentives.