Today at noon, KUOW’s The Conversation will focus on the latest liquor privatization initiative. As the debate about the regulation of alcohol in Washington continues, public health and underage drinking-related concerns should be considered. Following are some resources to help inform the debate.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Task Force on Community Preventive Services recently recommended against further privatization.
• The UW Alcohol and Drug Institute (ADAI) developed a brief providing background information on privatization issues.
• Last week, I updated the coalition website to include information about privatization. I will continue to update it as more information becomes available.
The full initiative may be viewed online.
Showing posts with label privatization of liquor stores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label privatization of liquor stores. Show all posts
Despite CDC recommendation against further liquor privatization, debate continues in WA
Backers of the latest liquor privatization initiative funded a paid-signature drive and turned in petitions today. I-1183 is similar to two measures to privatize state liquor sales that failed last November. I-1105 was rejected by 63% of voters and I-1100 was tossed out by 53%.
In February, the federal Centers for Disease Control’s Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended against further privatization of alcohol sales “based on strong evidence that privatization results in increased per capita alcohol consumption, a well-established proxy for excessive consumption.”
"Privatization may be associated with increased alcohol advertising, increases in the number of brands sold, and more lax enforcement of sales regulations, including enforcement of the minimum legal drinking age. In contrast, privatization also has generally been associated with an increase in the price of privatized beverages, which may be expected to lead to a decrease in consumption."
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 bill proposes privatizing WA's liquor system
Another bill that attempts to privatize our state's liquor system has been introduced in the state Senate. SB 5933 would close state liquor stores and private companies could purchase the right to run liquor stores.
This bill was introduced on the heals of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releasing a recommendation against liquor privatization.
Update: Who is behind privatization efforts? Check out Liquor Battle Heats Up at The Washington Ledge blog.
This bill was introduced on the heals of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releasing a recommendation against liquor privatization.
Update: Who is behind privatization efforts? Check out Liquor Battle Heats Up at The Washington Ledge blog.
CDC recommends against further liquor store privatization
This morning, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Task Force on Community Prevention Services announced the decision and rationale for recommending against further privatization of alcohol sales. The website states, "Based on its charge to identify effective disease and injury prevention measures, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends against the further privatization of alcohol sales in settings with current government control of retail sales, based on strong evidence that privatization results in increased per capita alcohol consumption."
The Washington State legislature is currently considering legislation that would chip away at the state's liquor control system.
-- One House budget plan includes a proposal to privatize the wholesale distribution of liquor in the state.
-- SB 5917 would allow the co-location of liquor stores in up to ten urban grocery stores.
The Washington State legislature is currently considering legislation that would chip away at the state's liquor control system.
-- One House budget plan includes a proposal to privatize the wholesale distribution of liquor in the state.
-- SB 5917 would allow the co-location of liquor stores in up to ten urban grocery stores.
Another attempt to allow the sale of liquor in grocery stores
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.
Prevention message part of best 2010 campaign
In today's PI, Joel Connelly wrote about "2010: Who scored, who dropped the ball (besides the M's, Hawks)" and here is what he wrote under Best Campaign:
Facing a public dissatisfied with the state's hard liquor monopoly, opponents of Initiatives 1100 and 1105 blanketed the airwaves with TV spots of teens buying booze at a convenience store and then driving off.
The campaign created just enough doubt about privatization to turn back both measures.
If what he says is true, that the image of teenagers buying alcohol is what turned the tide against the initiatives, then those of us involved in youth substance abuse prevention should take note. The citizens of Washington support what we do and the health and safety of our children takes precedence over convenience and getting government out of the liquor business.
The Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP) played a key role in the coalition that campaigned against the initiatives. WASAVP is a volunteer-run organization with the mission of uniting prevention advocates from around the state.
Facing a public dissatisfied with the state's hard liquor monopoly, opponents of Initiatives 1100 and 1105 blanketed the airwaves with TV spots of teens buying booze at a convenience store and then driving off.
The campaign created just enough doubt about privatization to turn back both measures.
If what he says is true, that the image of teenagers buying alcohol is what turned the tide against the initiatives, then those of us involved in youth substance abuse prevention should take note. The citizens of Washington support what we do and the health and safety of our children takes precedence over convenience and getting government out of the liquor business.
The Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP) played a key role in the coalition that campaigned against the initiatives. WASAVP is a volunteer-run organization with the mission of uniting prevention advocates from around the state.
In the news
State liquor laws in the news:Liquor system needs reforming despite votes on initiatives (The Bellingham Herald)
Perhaps "no" really meant "no" on liquor sales (The News Tribune)
Monitoring the Future in the news:
Though I blogged about this before, here is a link to what appeared in the Seattle PI: Teen pot smoking at 30-year high. Someone who posted a comment after the PI article noted that nobody is talking about how youth alcohol and tobacco use rates have decreased. Considering I had blogged about accentuating the positive in communities right before I blogged about increasing rates of youth marijuana use, I took that comment to heart. Communities across the nation have focused quite a bit on preventing youth alcohol and tobacco use and these successes should be recognized and celebrated. Prevention does work!
National drug policy in the news:
Questions for the Drug Czar (The Nation) Here's an excerpt in which Gil Kerlikowke talks about prevention:
I do not underestimate people's frustrations or strong feelings about a lack of success in the war on drugs, whether in the US or worldwide. It's been going on forty-five years, yet people still know their child can get drugs in high school, that their neighborhood has drug dealing, or they have a friend or neighbor or co-worker impacted by drugs. Where we have so clearly failed is not helping people understand there are very cost-effective, basic ways of working through prevention, understanding treatment can be effective and it's half the cost of incarceration. We don't have to throw up our hands as a nation and say the war on drugs has failed and therefore we have to go for legalization. We should look at these other prevention and treatment issues.
Mental health in the news:
Serious mental health needs seen growing at colleges (New York Times) Alcohol and drug abuse are included in the mental health needs discussed in this article.
Liquor laws as prevention
Though the two initiatives that would have deregulated or privatized hard alcohol distribution and sales in Washington failed this week, the issue won't be going away any time soon. Already, a state senator has said that he will take another run at it during the upcoming legislative session, according to a story on KPLU.
The Dangers of Alcohol Deregulation: The United Kingdom Experience, written by Pamela Erickson of Public Action Management, provides information about how the regulation of alcohol prevents underage drinking and other public health and safety problems and what we can learn from the liberalized alcohol laws in the UK.
The report stresses the need for multiple strategies to prevent alcohol-related problems: "There is no sliver bullet to curb alcohol problems. What works in the United States may not work for the United Kingdom and vice versa. But, the U.K. situation has highlighted the need for comprehensive regulation rather than deregulation and high taxes. . . . As we have seen, a good system to combat alcohol problems has several measures to ensure prices are not too low and availability is controlled. The system must also have age restrictions, anti-drunk driving measures and effective enforcement."
As the Prevention WINS coalition moves forward with our advocacy work, we will look at all policies that prevent underage drinking and drug use. Our advocacy work will complement our ongoing work with youth and parents and our focus on positive youth development.
The Dangers of Alcohol Deregulation: The United Kingdom Experience, written by Pamela Erickson of Public Action Management, provides information about how the regulation of alcohol prevents underage drinking and other public health and safety problems and what we can learn from the liberalized alcohol laws in the UK.
The report stresses the need for multiple strategies to prevent alcohol-related problems: "There is no sliver bullet to curb alcohol problems. What works in the United States may not work for the United Kingdom and vice versa. But, the U.K. situation has highlighted the need for comprehensive regulation rather than deregulation and high taxes. . . . As we have seen, a good system to combat alcohol problems has several measures to ensure prices are not too low and availability is controlled. The system must also have age restrictions, anti-drunk driving measures and effective enforcement."
As the Prevention WINS coalition moves forward with our advocacy work, we will look at all policies that prevent underage drinking and drug use. Our advocacy work will complement our ongoing work with youth and parents and our focus on positive youth development.
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.
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.
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