A poll commissioned by the Maryland chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence found that 72 percent of state residents back a proposed 10-cent-per-drink tax if the revenues are used to pay for addiction treatment, services for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled, and healthcare for uninsured residents.

WBAL-AM reported March 2 that the survey also found that 65 percent of respondents supported increased public funding for addiction treatment. Funding for such programs has declined $4.7 million since the start of fiscal 2010.

Half of those surveyed said that lawmakers should make an exception to a “no new taxes” pledge and raise the alcohol tax, despite the parlous state of the economy.