The Economics of Excess Addiction, Indulgence, and Social Policy [Hardcover]

The Economics of Excessdiscusses both standard and behavioral economics as they apply to addiction, indulgence, and social policy.Chapter One provides a thorough discussion of economic models of addiction. The model developed in most detail takes into account both standard and behavioral approaches. The next three chapters examine specific indulgences: smoking, drinking, and overeating. The heart of this book is its comprehensive discussion of what is often referred to as the new paternalism. Many economists are now challenging the more traditional belief that, unless they are harming others, people should be left to their own indulgences. As more and more economists are arguing for policies that are designed to protect people from themselves, this book offers a serious, yet accessible, discussion of the pros and cons of such interventions.Written in an approachable style, this book will serve researchers who are new to the economics of addiction and students in a variety of economics and policy courses alike.This book investigates the effectiveness of current drug and alcohol policies through an economic lens. Harold Winter's superbly written diagnosis of smoking, obesity, and alcohol abuse shows the tremendous power of economic analysis in illuminating these most challenging risky behaviors.The Economics of Excessprovides an engaging tour through issues such as addiction as well as a deft assessment of paternalistic interventions. Here's an enthusiastic (though suitably sober) toast toThe Economics of Excess! It provides a lively and accessible introduction to the new behavioral economics of addiction, rescuing an intrinsically fascinating topic from the tedium of scholarly formalisms. It's a great initiation for students and teachers alike. This must addition to the reading list of courses in behavioral economics and health economics would also be of value to students of economic policy. Students will benefit from Winter's careful delinl£”