Privatization, price and cross-border liquor purchases.

Self-report survey data were used to investigate the effects of liquor sales privatization on cross-border liquor purchases. A state survey sample representing the Iowa age 18+ noninstitutionalized population was interviewed in April 1989, some 25 months after retail spirits sales were privatized. Despite a privatization induced 6.1% increase in retail liquor prices, there was little, if any, change in the self-reported amount of liquor purchased outside the state of Iowa.