City of Seattle proposal to keep bars open past 2 a.m.

In October, the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) agreed to the City of Seattle's request to open rule-making regarding the hours of alcohol service.  The City of Seattle is asking the LCB to consider changing its policy that states that alcohol cannot be served between the hours of 2-6:00 a.m. 

To be clear, the petition submitted by Seattle Mayor McGinn asks the LCB to allow "for on-premises liquor service after 2 a.m." in "extended service hours service areas".  The proposed rule change would permit certain establishments within those areas to serve alcohol "between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.".  This means that some bars could be open 24 hours per day.  The City's petition and supporting documentation may be accessed online.

The Citywide Police Advisory Committee is speaking out against increasing hours of alcohol sales.  In a recent message from the group, they say, ". . . three of us from the Citywide PAC had an informal coffee with two (of the three) members of the Washington State Liquor Control Board.  The perception of the Board was that the City Council's support of this petition was reflective of the community's position.  This perception is completely incorrect, for the vast majority of Seattle citizens are against the proposal . . . We do know that the Mayor's Office has not publicized anything about the (LCB) community input process/opportunity."

The LCB is accepting initial comments about the potential rule change until December 1.  To do so, contact them at:
Rules Coordinator
Liquor Control Board
P.O. Box 43080
Olympia, WA  98504-3080
rules@liq.wa.gov

After the December 1 deadline, community members can still make comments until January 18, when a public hearing will be held. 

Wine & beer at farmers markets

From the Washington State Liquor Control Board --

The agency on July 27 selected the 10 farmers markets that are invited to participate in a pilot program that allows wine and beer tastings at farmers markets.

As directed in Substitute House Bill 1172, which created the pilot, the markets were selected in a manner to ensure geographic representation.

The pilot runs from Sept. 1, 2011 to Nov. 1, 2012.

The following list (of Seattle markets that will host tastings) is tentative, pending verification that the markets are able to meet the pilot requirements. A confirmed list will be posted on the WSLCB website.

-- West Seattle Farmers Market, 4400 S.W. Alaska St. in Seattle

-- Magnolia Farmers Market, 2550 34th Ave. W. in Seattle

-- Pike Place Market; Street Farmers Market, Pike Place, between Pine and Steward Streets, in Seattle

The Washington Association for Substance Abuse & Violence Prevention opposed the legislation that allows for beer and wine tastings at farmers markets:  Consuming beer and wine while running errands (such as grocery shopping) sets a bad example for children as parents and other adults model the causal use of alcohol.  If the legislature does not draw the line at this form of three-dimensional advertising, the negative effects are likely to compound over time . . .  we wonder what venues will be next. 

There are many ways the alcohol industry can promote its products.  The open use of alcohol in public markets does not need to be one of them.   

New prevention poster for liquor stores

The Washington State Liquor Control Board has hung these posters in all of their stores.  The statewide coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking will make these posters available to communities later this summer. 

Liquor privatization debate still relevant

In case you missed it (I did) . . . last October, the Seattle Channel hosted a debate about the two liquor privatization initiatives that were eventually defeated in November's election.  Considering continued efforts by the state legislature and through the state's initiative process to privatize our state's liquor system, the debate is still relevant and informative. 

Seattle Channel Video can be played in Flash Player 9 and up

Another attempt to allow the sale of liquor in grocery stores

Today, the Washington State Senate Ways & Means Committee is hearing comments about SB 5917 which would allow the Liquor Control Board to implement a pilot project appointing up to ten urban grocery stores to include state-run liquor sales.  In other words, this bill would allow hard alcohol to be sold in urban grocery stores that currently are only allowed to sell beer and wine. 

Even though two liquor privatization initiatives were rejected by Washingtonians in November, the issue is not going away any time soon.  This bill attempts to get the process of privatization started by allowing the sale of hard alcohol in grocery stores.

A CDC task force on reducing excess alcohol consumption and underage drinking recommends several strategies including regulating how many places can sell alcohol and limiting the days and hours alcohol can be sold.  If hard alcohol is sold in grocery stores, many which are open 24/7, these proven ways of reducing excessive and underage alcohol consumption would be eliminated.

At the end of Prohibition, state regulations allowed for the sale of beer in grocery stores because it contained a relatively low amount of alcohol.  The sale of liquor was restricted to liquor stores as a way to reduce access to products with higher alcohol content.  More information about why alcohol regulation is good for public health is available at The Campaign for a Healthy Alcohol Marketplace.

Four Loko still on shelves?

From the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Undearge Drinking (RUaD):

Several people have commented to RUaD staff that they are seeing Four Loko on shelves, yet there was a ban put in place.  Below is a summary that describes the temporary ban and how you can contact the Liquor Control Board if you want to comment on a permanent ban. 

The Temporary Ban
On November 10, 2010, the WA Liquor Control Board passed an emergency resolution to ban alcoholic energy drinks in Washington State. This ban covers the importation, production, manufacture, distribution or sale of products that combine beer, strong beer, or malt liquor with caffeine, guarana, taurine, or other similar substances.

What the Ban Covers
The ban covers those drinks that mix alcohol with a high dose of stimulants such as caffeine, guarana, etc. Brand names include Core, Four Loko, Joose, and Max. Regular energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, and RockStar are not banned.

The FDA Ruling
Shortly after WA passed this resolution, the FDA issued warning letters to four companies that produce these drinks, calling caffeine an “unsafe food additive.” This caused the companies to remove these products from store shelves.

Why Four Loko is back on the shelves
At least one company, Phusion Projects (the maker of Four Loko), responded by removing caffeine and other stimulants from their products. This reformulated product still comes in 23.5 oz. containers with 12% alcohol.

Regular Rule-Making – A Permanent Ban
According to regulations, the temporary ban will expire after 120 days (on March 10, 2011). The LCB immediately began the regular rule-making process. The proposed rule was filed on January 12th.

If you wish to comment to the Liquor Control Board, the deadline is February 23, 2011.  Send your comments to: Rules Coordinator, Liquor Control Board

Liquor Control Board seeks comments on proposed rule about alcohol energy drinks

The Washington State Liquor Control Board is seeking input regarding a proposed rule on the prohbition of alcohol energy drinks in the state of Washington.

On November 10, 2010, the WSLCB adopted an emergency rule prohibiting the sale, importation, and distribution of alcohol energy drinks. This emergency rule expires on March 10, 2011. The proposed rules are to make the prohibition on the sale, importation, and distribution of alcohol energy drinks permanent. Comments may be forwarded to the WSLCB by February 23, 2011.

An extraordinary year for prevention

The manager of the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (RUaD) emailed prevention advocates the following message this morning:

2010: An Extraordinary Year for Prevention

Yes, it has been a remarkable year for public policies that help reduce underage drinking. Collaborative efforts among key state agencies, statewide organizations, local prevention groups, and individual citizens brought a heightened awareness of underage drinking.

Highlights:

The 2010 legislature placed a tax on malt beverages. Research is very clear that the more prices go up, the less young people consume. Legislators heard from the prevention community and they acted.

The WA State Liquor Control Board spent enormous effort reviewing and revising the alcohol advertising regulations but it was critical to hear from the public. Over 500 local citizens and organizations urged the LCB to strengthen the regulations. Many young people and adults testified at hearings. This was the strongest statement from the prevention community they have ever seen.

And on the election front, the citizens of the state turned back an effort to privatize the sale of alcohol. The LCB’s role was to provide accurate information to anyone who asked, but a coalition of interest groups, including strong prevention groups, came together to help the public understand this issue. Again, the prevention voice was heard, this time by the voting public.

And most recently, the LCB banned the sale of alcohol energy drinks. There was an outcry from the general public, researchers, and yes, the prevention community to take this action.

Job Well Done!

Privatization of liquor stores

Up to three initiatives that concern the privatization of liquor sales may appear on the November ballot in Washington. If approved, the initiatives would be a significant set-back for substance abuse prevention efforts in our state. Liquor control is a proven "environmental strategy" for preventing underage drinking.

Here are a few talking points about why state-run liquor stores are good for preventing underage drinking:

The Washington State Liquor Control Board's 94% no-sale-to-minors compliance rate is the highest in the nation. The private-sector compliance rate for alcohol sales is much lower, with rates ranging from 76%-84%.

States with retail monopolies have a lower prevalence of drinking and binge drinking among people between 12 and 25 years old.

Because state-run stores are state property, states can more easily regulate the on-site marketing of alcoholic beverages, including the promotion of products within the stores the display of exterior advertising for alcoholic beverages.

The Washington Association for Substance Abuse & Violence Prevention (WASAVP) is working to prevent these initiatives from being approved by voters this fall. WASAVP is a volunteer-run organization and is always looking for new members to support its mission to unite prevention advocates.

New alcohol advertising regulations

From the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking:

Over 500 teens and adults sent comments to the Liquor Control Board (LCB) encouraging increased regulation of alcohol advertising. This was unprecedented!

The journey is almost complete. The LCB filed the proposed rules with the coder reviser on January 13. They include:

-- Limit alcohol advertising signs on stores to 4 with no more than 1600 square inches per sign.

-- Limit alcohol advertising signs at festival beer gardens to the same rules and eliminate inflatables or give-aways that promote alcohol.

-- Signs should not appeal to, or target, children/teens.

-- Signs should be more than 500 feet to the property line of schools, churches, playgrounds.

The last step before adoption is a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 24, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the LCB in Olympia. The LCB will adopt the rules on March 3, 2010 and they will become effective April 3.

While alcohol advertising may not be the #1 factor contributing to underage drinking, it is a factor that influences youth in all communities. This is a wonderful success for substance abuse prevention and it is largely thanks to everyone who made comments to the LCB over the past year about alcohol advertising.

Caffeinated alcoholic beverages

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified nearly 30 manufacturers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages that it intends to look into the safety and legality of their products. According to an FDA official, "The increasing popularity of consumption of caffeinated alcoholic beverages by college students and reports of potential health and safety issues necessitates that we look seriously at the scientific evidence as soon as possible."

Here in Washington, Attorney General Rob McKenna applauded the FDA's action. "Alcohol plus caffeine equals a serious health threat, especially for young people," he said. "The jolt of caffeine or other stimulants mask the feeling of intoxication. Health professionals say that leads to more risk-taking behavior, traffic accidents, violence, sexual assault, and suicide."

Concerned about the combination of energy drinks and alcohol, the Washington State Liquor Control Board has approved a policy which prohibits any references to combining energy drinks with alcohol on point-of-sale materials in their state stores. In their letter to suppliers they state, " . . . there are an increasing number of scientific studies that have shown the dangerous effects of mixing alcohol with energy drinks. While alcohol is a depressant, energy drinks are stimulants. The net effect is that the consumer doesn't feel the effects of the alcohol, yet is just as impaired as they would be had they just consumed alcohol without the energy drink."

Partnership with LCB

Over the past three years, the Prevention WINS coalition has been fortunate to have the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) as a strong community partner. Lt. Susan Blaker, Regional Government Liaison, has been an active member of the coalition's Enforcement & Consequences Roundtable, a group that gets together regularly with the goal of increasing communication and cooperation between enforcement agencies, courts, and probation.

Lt. Blaker recently emailed me to tell me about the work Seattle Liquor Control Officers are doing. She wrote:

I took an informal poll of our officers asking for an approximate number of MIP’s (Minor In Possession) they have written this past summer. Our Seattle team reports 73 . These citations are above the officer’s regular duties performed inside licensed premises. The officers report contacting intoxicated juveniles as young as 14 years of age in high crime areas of Capitol Hill.

We have an amazing high energy group and I wanted you to be aware of their efforts in this area of public safety.

In northeast Seattle, the LCB has been working with the Seattle Police Department to remove the liquor license from a local mini-mart that has a long history of selling alcohol to minors.

The LCB has been supportive of statewide prevention, as well. As I've blogged about previously, the LCB is in the process of changing rules regarding alcohol advertising to reduce youth exposure to them.

Preventing underage drinking and youth substance abuse is a community-wide endeavor that includes students, parents, schools, community organizations and agencies. We are fortunate to have dedicated partners like the LCB and other enforcement agencies.

Keeping booze ads out of kids' faces

If we believe advertising works, then the Washington State Liquor Control Board is ready to make a smart move.

From "The Olympian" opinion page:

"The proposed rules eliminate such alcohol marketing from our smaller ball fields, such as where Little League teams play. Under these rules, the minimum distance these ads can be from schools, day cares, public parks, etc. is set at no less than 500 feet."

More coverage on KING5.com, "State considers curbing liquor ads"

Support changes to alcohol advertising regulations in our state!

The Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) is in the final stage of making changes to alcohol advertising policies and they have stated that public safety and the reduction of underage drinking are their priorities. Please support the LCB's efforts to reduce alcohol advertising that young people see in their neighborhoods.

The WASAVP (Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention) website has detailed information about the proposed limits on alcohol advertising.

You can let the LCB know that you support the proposed changes by emailing them at rules@liq.wa.gov. When you do, please thank them for their commitment to public safety and reducing underage drinking by making these changes. For the change to the WAC (Washington Administrative Code) that prohibits advertising from being within 500-feet of schools, churches, playgrounds, and athletic fields, ask them to increase it to 1000-feet from the property line, not from the entrance.

While alcohol advertising is not the #1 factor contributing to underage drinking, it is a factor. In our efforts to prevent underage drinking, we need to consider all contributing factors in our communities. Advertising that attracts the attention of youth is certainly one of them. Underage drinking is a community-wide problem and needs a community-wide solution.

Easy access

According to 2008 Healthy Youth Survey data, 65% of NE Seattle high school seniors report that it is easy to obtain alcohol if they want it. (Thanks to RUaD -- the state coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking -- for the beautiful charts!)

A few months ago, the Seattle Police Department and members of the Prevention WINS coalition in NE Seattle asked the Liquor Control Board to not renew the liquor license of SP Mart. Since the mini-mart has a long history of selling to minors, no matter who owns it, the police also requested that the license be removed from the site.

The store continues to be a place where minors attempt to purchase alcohol, often successfully. Early last month, a Liquor Control Board officer caught a minor in possession of alcohol outside of the store. The minor had requested an adult purchase alcohol for him or her and was successful. Though SP Mart did not receive a citation this time, the incident shows that minors still feel comfortable trying to buy alcohol there.

Surmising that teenagers are likely to try to obtain alcohol elsewhere in our community, Liquor Control Board officers are monitoring other stores in the Wedgwood area for sales to minors.

Reducing teenager's access to alcohol is one of several prevention strategies happening in our community. One strategy alone isn't going to reduce our high underage drinking rates. However, as a community, if we all work together and implement effective prevention strategies throughout NE Seattle, we will make a difference.

In the news . . .

Washington liquor store expansions a sign of hard times (Seattle PI)

Whispering about the state liquor monopoly (Seattle PI)

Program tries to identify problem drinkers before problems start (New York Times)

Alcohol abuse by GIs soars since -03 (USA Today)

Underage drinking ordinance pays off (The Gainesville Sun)

Higher drinking age linked to less binge drinking -- except in college students (Science Daily)

Action Item: contact Liquor Control Board about alcohol advertising regulations

On March 11, I blogged about the chance for community members to provide the Liquor Control Board (LCB) with comments regarding the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) dealing with alcohol advertising. Thanks to all of you who provided the LCB with input -- they received over 800 comments from prevention-minded citizens and only a handful from the alcohol industry.

With those comments in mind, the LCB drafted changes to the current WAC and created a summary of those changes.

Though the alcohol industry was rather quiet during the first round of comments, it is expected that they won't be so quiet this time around. Your comments in support of the proposed changes are needed! Here is an outline of the WAC review process and prevention-related responses to the proposed WAC changes. A drafted message to the LCB is posted to the coalition's website (click on "comments").

UPDATE: Read WASAVP's Action Alert!

Forward your comments to the LCB by June 15 to the Rules Coordinator at rules@liq.wa.gov.

Update: SP Mart liquor license

On April 15 I blogged about the Seattle Police Department's (SPD) letter to the Liquor Control Board (LCB) requesting that the liquor license not be renewed for SP Mart, a mini-mart a few blocks west of Eckstein Middle School.

Since then, the owner of SP Mart has tried to sell the business and the SPD sent another letter to the LCB asking that the liquor license be removed from the site of the store, not just the owner. SP Mart has been owned by different people over the past few years and each one of them has sold alcohol to minors. Teenagers know that they can buy alcohol at the store, regardless of who owns it. Reading SPD's second letter makes that readily apparent.

Reducing minor's access to alcohol plays an important role in reducing underage drinking rates in northeast Seattle. Especially since it is part of community-wide prevention activities being implemented by the coalition.

SPD requests liquor license not be renewed

A recent letter to the Washington State Liquor Control Board from the Seattle Police Department asks that the liquor license for SP Mart not be renewed. SP Mart is located just five blocks from Eckstein Middle School, the recipient of a prevention grant from the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse because of high underage drinking rates in northeast Seattle.

Over the past few years, SP Mart has been caught selling alcohol to minors multiple times by both Seattle Police and the Liquor Control Board. Earlier today, I was told that they were caught selling to minors again last Friday, despite being notified that their liquor license is in jeopardy.

On February 6, I blogged about a study that shows that drinking rates are higher among 12 - 17 year-olds who live within a half-mile of an alcohol outlet and those teenagers are more likely to binge drink and engage in drunk driving. Reducing the access minors have to alcohol in our community is an important part of the multiple prevention strategies our coalition is implementing.

WA to open liquor stores in malls?

The Washington State Senate's proposed budget, released earlier this week, includes a provision that would direct the Liquor Control Board to open five new state stores and ten contract stores. Appropriations are provided for opening nine state stores on Sundays, opening state liquor stores on seven holidays, and opening six mall locations during the winter holiday season.