National Survey Shows Americans Want Alcohol Regulations

Americans want to keep in place state and local alcohol regulations to keep them safe, according to a new national poll conducted by a bipartisan team of pollsters, Whitman Insight Strategies and Wilson Research Strategies.

The survey shows that 77% of adults support "the rights of individual states to set their own laws and regulations" regarding the sale of alcohol.

Jerry Oliver, former CAP Advisory Council member

"Most Americans also said that getting rid of rules and regulations could make alcohol problems worse. It is something that law enforcement - the men and women in uniform in communities across this country - are very concerned about as they work to keep communities safe," said Jerry Oliver, a former Center for Alcohol Policy Advisory Council member who has served as a state alcohol regulator and police chief in California, Virginia and Michigan.

According to the survey:

• 77% support the right of individual states to set their own laws and regulations surrounding the sale of alcohol
• 87% say it is easy for adults to find a wide variety of beer, wine and liquor
• 84% believe that with the overwhelming majority of alcohol sold in the United States being manufactured by foreign-owned global corporations, it is more important than ever that states and localities maintain their ability to regulate alcohol
• 87% believe that all alcohol sold in their state should come through a licensed system which effectively tracks the steps it takes from producer to the consumer
• 83% believe state and local laws regarding alcohol regulations should be decided by lawmakers, not by judges
• 71% believe that since alcohol is different than other consumer products, it needs a different set of rules and the state should be regulating this industry
• 81% believe that parents, police officers and retailers already have a difficult challenge keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors; getting rid of alcohol rules, regulations and safeguards could make the problem worse

The national telephone survey of 1,000 adults was conducted on behalf of the Center for Alcohol Policy from March 17-21, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3.1%.

Want more information? The Center is offering a FREE webinar this Wednesday, April 20, from noon to 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Chris Wilson, CEO of Wilson Research Strategies, shares the results of this survey measuring American attitudes toward alcohol regulation in the United States.

Download the full survey report here.

In Iowa: 200 Convenience Stores Seeking New Alcohol Permits

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division estimates that about 200 convenience stores will be issued liquor licenses as a result of a new law easing restrictions on selling spirits.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad

Convenience stores seeking a license to sell liquor will face fees from $3,500 to $7,500 depending on population, location and square footage.

Several amendments were added to the original bill, HF 617, as it made its way through the state legislature. For example, the final version redefines high-alcohol content beer to prohibit the addition of caffeine and other stimulants, which effectively bans high-proof alcoholic energy drinks in Iowa.

State Roundup on Alcohol Issues

California

Marin Institute, the alcohol industry watchdog, has joined California State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other public departments to call for a statewide ban on alcohol sales through self-serve checkout. Marin Institute executive director and CEO Bruce Lee Livingston said the rise in self-serve checkout lanes in retail stores that sell alcoholic beverages is creating a recipe for disaster. According to a research done by San Diego State University Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies last summer, more than 2.3 million underage youth drink alcohol each year in California and these self-checkout machines allowed minors to purchase alcohol without providing age verification.

For the full story, click here.

Georgia

Gov. Nathan Deal says he'll sign a bill allowing voters to decide whether to allow Sunday alcohol sales. But Deal said if it comes up for a vote in his community, he'll vote against it. Deal made the remarks to reporters at the state Capitol on Wednesday, the day after the House gave final passage to a Sunday sales bill. The Republican governor said he sees the issue as one of local control. The Sunday sales bill would allow local governments to ask voters to decide whether to allow the Sunday sales of alcohol in grocery and convenience stores. Georgia is currently one of just three states that ban stores from selling alcohol on Sundays.

For the full story, click here.

Maryland

One of the most high-profile measures still before lawmakers would raise the state's sales tax on alcohol from 6 percent to 9 percent in July. The House of Delegates changed the proposal to implement the increase all at once, instead of gradually raising it over three years. The change means the state would raise about $85 million in the next fiscal year, instead of about $29 million. A large portion of the new money will go to school construction in the first year the tax increase takes effect. But Republicans opposing the measure in the Democratic-controlled House became enraged as they tried fruitlessly to block the new tax in a debate that stretched late into the night.

For the full story, click here.

Texas

State Rep. J.M. Lozano, D-Kingsville, this past week helped pass a bill that increases reporting requirements for the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. Under HB 11, wholesalers, distributors and package stores would have to report to the comptroller data on their sales to groups further down the distribution chain. The comptroller then could compare these data to reports filed by package stores, bars and restaurants on alcohol sales to the public. Having records of both purchasing and sales information would allow the comptroller to detect any underreporting of taxable sales of alcoholic beverages by either package stores or bars and restaurants.

For the full story, click here.

Drinking Habits of Americans

Three in 10 Americans, 21 and older say they drink alcohol at least once a week, including 5% who drink daily and 10% who drink several times a week, according to the results of a recent Harris Poll.

One in five Americans 21 or older say they drink alcohol at least once a month and 15% drink it several times a year.

One in five Americans say they never drink alcohol.