Alcohol News: October-December 2003

Friday, December 19, 2003

Diageo to Put Nutrition Labels on Liquor
The New York Times, December 18, 2003
"Diageo, the British liquor company whose brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness and Smirnoff, said yesterday that it would put nutrition labels on its products to detail how much alcohol and how many calories and carbohydrates are in each bottle.

Executives at Diageo North America said the labels, which will be introduced next year, would also list serving sizes and the amount of other macronutrients, like sugar and fat.

The move comes a day after a coalition of more than 70 consumer groups and experts petitioned the Treasury Department to require that its Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which regulates alcohol labeling and advertising, require nutrition labels on all alcoholic beverages..."
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Schielke slaps 3 businesses for selling booze to minors
Kane County Chronicle, Batavia, IL, December 18, 2003
Three businesses that sold alcohol to minors more than once were fined and had their liquor licenses suspended Thursday.

Mayor Jeff Schielke, who also serves as the city's liquor commissioner, imposed the fines and suspensions as a reminder that multiple violations won't be tolerated.
"What we want is strict and strong compliance with requirements for identification checks in order to prohibit the flow of liquor to minors," Schielke told the license holders during Thursday's hearing.

The hearing stemmed from a Nov. 14 police sting in which nine of 18 restaurants, bars and package liquor stores in the city sold alcohol to minors..."

The toughest penalty was placed on Cafe Cancun, which was cited for a third violation. Schielke fined the restaurant $1,000, and suspended the establishment's liquor license for seven days starting Dec. 24.

Full Moon and Bistro America, which each were cited for a second violation, were fined $1,000 and had their licenses suspended Dec. 24 and 25.

The six other businesses, all first-time offenders, were spared a public hearing and a license suspension and were fined $750. Schielke said the money collected from the fines will be used for drug and alcohol prevention programs in Batavia schools..."
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Wednesday, December 17, 2003

East St. Louis To Limit Alcohol Sales
KSDK TV, St. Louis, MO, December 16, 2003
"The New Year could bring about major changes for those who buy alcohol in East St. Louis. Simply put, you may not be able to buy alcohol anywhere at any time!
At Monday night's city council meeting, Mayor Carl Officer announced he was not renewing any of the city’s 71 liquor licenses that expire at midnight on December 31.

Broadway Plaza has been selling liquor for more than 20-years. Owner Russell Hudlin, Junior says losing his license would definitely hurt business, because as much as 20% of that business comes from selling alcohol.

Those numbers are much higher at area nightclubs.

Mayor Officer made the decision to not renew licenses after the city council refused to approve $160,000 to hire a team of inspectors to make sure license holders are complying with state laws..."
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Tuesday, December 16, 2003

'Alcohol Facts' Label Proposed for Beer, Wine, and Liquor
PRNewswire, Washington, DC, December 16, 2003
"A proposal for a uniform "Alcohol Facts" label was submitted today by the National Consumers League (NCL), the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), and others in a petition to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The petition urges the agency to require a new label for alcoholic beverages that would give consumers clear information about alcohol content, serving sizes, calories, and ingredients. The groups argue that "Alcohol Facts" labels will do for alcoholic beverages what Nutrition Facts labels have done for packaged food: provide readable information that would empower consumers to make informed decisions about the products they consume.

Rules governing alcoholic-beverage labeling suffer from jurisdictional gaps between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB, formerly the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms). The FDA can weigh in on alcoholic- beverage labeling in only a small number of cases. And, TTB has no institutional expertise in diet or nutrition. Adding further confusion are TTB's inconsistent standards for beer, wine, and hard liquor, and the abundance of products that increasingly blur those three traditional categories of alcoholic beverages..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/16/2003

NJ State Assembly OKs lowering blood-alcohol limit to .08%
Press of Atlantic City, NJ, Trenton, NJ, December 16, 2003
"The Assembly voted overwhelmingly Monday to lower the state's blood-alcohol content threshold for driving while intoxicated.

The Assembly voted 58-10 with nine abstentions to lower the limit from .1 percent to .08 percent.

The state Senate still must approve the measure. It also needs Gov. James E. McGreevey's signature.

Should it be fully approved, it would ensure the state gets millions of dollars in federal transportation funds.

Approval in the Assembly came despite arguments from bill opponents who charged it further, saying the bill unfairly strengthens New Jersey's drunken-driving laws. The law already provides for what amounts to an unfair, automatic conviction, they said.."
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Is Advertising To Blame For Under Aged Drinking?
KGO-TV 7 News, Oakland, Ca, December 10, 2003
"Some people are calling it an epidemic of underaged-drinking saying alcohol abuse among young people is growing faster than any other drug and they're laying the blame squarely on the alcohol industry and it's advertising...

Studies are showing drinking among young people is on the rise, growing faster than any other drug.

Researchers say the alcohol industry spent nearly $2 billion last year on advertising. Much of it was seen by people too young to drink.

Dr. David Jernigan, Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, Georgetown University: "These are family oriented shows. They attracted larger than proportional youth audiences. We've even found ads on the wonderful world of Disney..."

Assembly member Wilma Chan has been trying to get a bill passed to discourage advertising alcohol to minors.

Assm. Wilma Chan, (D) Alameda County: "What my bill would do is it would assess a fee to producers of alcohol only for that proportion of alcohol that's sold to underaged drinkers. In other words, illegal sales, which is estimated to between 10 and 20 percent in California..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/16/2003

Monday, December 15, 2003

Alcohol, cars mix for local retailers
Monroe News Star, Monroe, LA, December 10, 2003
"Purchasing alcohol is almost as convenient as picking up a hamburger at a fast-food restaurant in Monroe these days...

Maj. Robert Biggers of the Monroe Police Department has seen several drive-through liquor stores over the years.

The choice to offer drive-through liquor purchases rests with the businessperson, he said.

Biggers said he hasn't seen any statistics to measure whether such establishments encourage drinking and driving.

There is "obviously a problem" with drive-through liquor stores, said Maj. Royce Toney, chief investigator for the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office...

"The problem with drive-through is that you drive in with a two-ton vehicle, hand money and receive an alcohol beverage prepared for immediate consumption."

He said he believes this encourages consumers to drink and drive. The legal blood alcohol content set by the state Legislature is .08..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/15/2003

Thanks to Cable, Liquor Ads Find a TV Audience
The New York Times, December 15, 2003
"Almost two years ago, an experiment to allow American liquor marketers access to the biggest, most powerful advertising medium of all - national broadcast network television - ended in acrimony. Since then, those advertisers have pieced together an alternative, virtual TV network, enabling them to expose consumers to more pitches for vodka, gin and whiskey than ever before.

Commercials for distilled spirits, once relegated to the fringes of the television landscape, now appear on two dozen national cable networks from AMC to WE, more than 140 local cable systems and 420 local broadcast stations. That patchwork network lets the liquor marketers take advantage of the benefits of selling on television - primarily the ability to reach large numbers of consumers quickly and frequently - even if its most potent form is barred to them...

"At this point, liquor ads have saturated cable," said George A. Hacker, director for the Alcohol Policies Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, who has long fought against such commercials because of fears that they are more visible to children than print ads and glamorize drinking more..."
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The Nicotini
The New York Times, New York, NY, December 14, 2003
"There is nothing as alluring as vice, except possibly the combination of two vices. A Florida club owner may have come up with a cure for smokers' rage over their recent exile from bars: a martini infused with nicotine-rich tobacco. (Sound delicious? How can it not be?) The Nicotini, as it is known, comes in various forms -- among them a Quick Puff (a single shot) and, more enticingly, a Black Lung (mixed with Kahlua). Result: The stimulant and the depressant enter the boxing ring that is your body and battle for dominion -- but then, that's hardly a new sensation for anyone who has ever smoked in a bar..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/15/2003

Friday, December 12, 2003

Senate approves Michael's Law
Bridgeton News, New Jersey, December 12, 2003
"First District Assemblyman Nicholas Asselta announced Thursday that the state Senate unanimously approved a measure he is co-sponsoring that would enhance penalties for repeat drunken drivers.

The bill, dubbed Michael's Law in memory of 19-year-old Vinelander Michael Albano, who was killed in an accident with a repeat drunken driver Dec. 20, 2001, was approved by the Senate 34 to 0..."

The legislation would require mandatory minimum jail sentences of 90 days and $1,000 in fines for third and subsequent driving-while-intoxicated offenses, according to Asselta. Offenders would also be required to participate in 90-day drug or alcohol inpatient rehabilitation programs approved by the court.

Under the bill, drivers with three or more DWIs would lose their drivers licenses for 10 years..."
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New Jersey State Assembly: No. 2386 (Michael's Law) (.pdf)

posted by Shanita | 12/12/2003

Hispanics targeted in new drunken driving campaign
The Holland Sentinel, Washington, DC, December 11, 2003
"For the first time, the government is launching a drunken driving campaign targeting Hispanics, who are at higher risk of death in alcohol-related accidents.

Alcohol-related crashes account for half of all Hispanic traffic deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In the general population, alcohol-related crashes accounted for 41 percent of traffic deaths in 2002.

"States have been clamoring for good-quality Spanish-language materials," agency spokesman Rae Tyson said Wednesday..."
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Thursday, December 11, 2003

Time to ban alcohol advertising
The Journal Standard, Freeport, IL, December 10, 2003
"Mayor Gitz and council members, why don't you do something positive for Freeport and the area? Please pass an ordinance making Freeport one of the first cities in the country to ban all outdoor advertising of alcohol, including such words as pub, lounge, tavern, depot, outlet, and of course, beer, wine, liquor and alcohol. Ban advertising of these products. Change the laws of the sale of these products. No sales on Sunday, not even when dining out. Close drive-up windows and make the job of the Freeport Police easier..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/11/2003

Bay Area Officers Kick Off Massive DUI Campaign
ABC 7 News, California, December 10, 2003
"Bay Area law enforcement officers served nonalcoholic "coptails" to San Francisco restaurant patrons this afternoon, to mark the start of the holiday drunken driving crackdown...

Representatives from a number of Bay Area law enforcement agencies, including San Francisco Police Chief Alex Fagan and Assistant Chief Jerry Tidwell with the California Highway Patrol, met at Momo's restaurant near Pac Bell Park to announce the enormity of this year's DUI campaigns...

The state Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control will also play a part in the enforcement efforts, making sure liquor stores and bars are checking for IDs and making sure intoxicated people can't buy any more liquor. Acting ABC Director Jerry Jolly said businesses can expect to pay a $1,000 fine for serving a minor..."
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California Office of Traffic Safety: Campaigns and Coalitions

Kilpatrick cracks down on alcohol
The Detroit News, Detroit, MI, December 11, 2003
"With the swipe of a brush, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on Wednesday painted over the word "liquor" on the wall of an east side party store and gave a symbolic start to the city’s campaign to cut liquor’s public presence.

"What we’re doing here today will ... forever eradicate the proliferation of alcohol and alcoholism" in the city, Kilpatrick said.

The city announced a six-part crackdown on the sale and presence of spirits. Besides asking store owners to paint over liquor signs, the city also plans to:

- Forbid new neighborhood liquor or party stores from opening. Detroit has 338 liquor stores and 379 stores that sell only beer and wine, according to city officials.

- Ask the state Liquor Control Commission, which issues licenses, to make it harder for people to keep inactive licenses and to transfer licenses. The city is 164 licenses over a state quota for party stores based on population, officials said..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/11/2003

Large liquor retailer expands campaign on illegal sales
Anchorage Daily News, Anchorage, AK, December 8, 2003
"One of the state's biggest liquor retailers already has a reputation for being extra aggressive in preventing sales to underage, would-be buyers, and now is expanding its scope.

Brown Jug wants to transform its campaign against underage drinking into an effort that not only stings the wallet but also convinces youths not to drink.

Under the Brown Jug campaign, anyone who goes through a new alcohol awareness program will get a break on a $1,000 civil penalty. The store will seek $300 instead of $1,000.

"We're trying to educate on the responsible approach to the product," said Ed O'Neill, one of Brown Jug Inc.'s owners.

The program isn't free. Participants will have to pay another $290 for the main course, 15 to 16 hours of classroom sessions led by Akeela Inc., a private substance abuse prevention and treatment agency..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/11/2003

Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Alcohol ordinance still on hold after Borough Council meeting
The Daily Princetonian, Princeton, NJ, December 10, 2003
"Despite objections that student binge drinking has worsened this fall, the Borough Council took no action on the controversial alcohol ordinance last night.

Instead, the council heard from student leaders, University administrators and community groups on how to combat a "culture" of drinking on campus and at the eating clubs...

The ordinance would allow police to cite underage drinkers on private property, including the eating clubs.

Representatives of the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance opened the discussion with a call for more education and prevention rather than passage of the ordinance..."

At the council's April 23 meeting, when the ordinance was tabled by a unanimous vote, PADA was charged with reporting on efforts made by the University and student groups to curb dangerous drinking..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/10/2003

Town proposes ban on festival liquor sales
The Natchez Democrat, Vidalia, LA, December 10, 2003
"To applause and a chorus of "amens" from a packed house, the Vidalia Board of Aldermen on Tuesday scrapped a proposed amendment that would give them the power to grant a liquor license to public festivals.

Instead, aldermen prefiled an ordinance to prohibit the sale of alcohol at public festivals such as the annual Jim Bowie Festival. A public hearing on that ordinance will be held at the board's January meeting.

Town attorney Jack McLemore said the board has been discussing the sale of alcohol for some time, particularly after last fall's festival.

"We've had a lot of concern about this ordinance," McLemore said. "I was asked to draft a new ordinance that prohibits the sale of alcohol..."
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Tuesday, December 09, 2003

State (KS) high court weighs liquor laws
The Lawrence Journal-World, Topeka, KS, December 9, 2003
"Cities can make local ordinances that are more strict than state law, but they don't have the right to make them less restrictive, a state attorney told the Kansas Supreme Court on Monday...

The arguments were made as the state appeals a Wyandotte County district judge's ruling that a loophole lets cities decide whether to permit Sunday liquor sales despite a state law that prohibits them.

Since the ruling in May, more than a dozen Kansas cities, including Lawrence, have passed ordinances that allow liquor stores to do business on Sundays..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/09/2003

Alcoholic Zipper shots: Don't sell 'em
The Grand Island Independent, Nebraska, December 9, 2003
"Don't sell 'em" was the initial stance of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission regarding Zipper shots, when it voluntarily banned the alcohol-infused gelatin product. Containing 12 percent alcohol, each single-serving cup is equivalent to two beers. In August, however, the commission inexplicably lifted the statewide ban....

Granted, caring and attentive parents would certainly make sure that their children do not have access to Zipper shots. But no effort is foolproof. One moment of a parent's carelessness or one instance of a child's unexpected discovery of more "Jell-O" in the back of the refrigerator could have dire consequences.

In addition to alerting parents, Project Extra Mile has also notified area law enforcement agencies. Now along with watching for open containers of alcoholic beverages, officers must inspect plastic containers of innocent-looking gelatin which could also result in a citation..."
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CADCA: Educate Your Community about "Zipper Shots"

Battle royal over wine shipped interstate Winemakers want direct Internet sales; distributors say no
San Francisco Chronicle, Wshington, DC, December 8, 2003
"From Napa Valley's verdant vineyards to the starchy K Street offices of Washington lobbyists and lawyers, a battle is playing out that could determine the future growth of California's $7 billion wine industry.

The fight over direct Internet wine sales, pitting winemakers against deep-pocket liquor distributors, has grown into a high-powered struggle led by well-known pillars of the capital's conservative legal establishment. Eventually, it seems, only a U.S. Supreme Court decision will end the wrangling.

Opponents of freer shipments follow a two-pronged strategy. In addition to their constitutional argument, they point to the dangers of underage drinkers using the Internet to get alcohol.

"This issue is about kids, communities and common sense,'' Juanita Duggan...
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posted by Shanita | 12/08/2003

Univ. Delaware campus and Newark sober up
The News Journal, Delaware, December 6, 2003
"Since 1996, the University of Delaware and City of Newark have been in the forefront nationally in addressing high-risk drinking among college students.

Efforts have been supported by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and resulted in a volunteer organization of residents, students, faculty and staff known as the Building Responsibility Coalition. This has grown to more than 130 individuals and has been an important influence on campus and in the community.

The efforts in Newark and on campus have centered on excessive use of alcohol as a public health issue. Solving it is dependent on changing the environment that permits, encourages or sustains the problem..."
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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Lobbyist Keeps Louisiana's Alcohol Laws at Bay
Alcohol Policies Project, December 5, 2003
"Eighty-year-old George Brown, executive director of the Beer League of Louisiana, is a big reason why Louisiana's alcohol laws are not as strict as other states, the Wall Street Journal reported Dec. 1.

Brown has become one of the most effective advocates for the alcohol industry in the nation. For example, he managed to get frozen alcoholic drinks excluded from the state's open-container law for friends in the drive-through daiquiri business. Brown has also been influential in enabling gas stations to sell cans of beer on ice, allowing grocery stores to sell liquor 24-hours a day, and permitting bars to stay open around the clock.

While public opinion has shifted nationally towards tougher regulations on alcohol sales and drinking while driving, Brown has managed to block bills in Louisiana that would have prevented underage drinkers from entering bars, tightened punishment for repeat offenders, and toughened the open-container law.

Even though other states have increased alcohol taxes to address budget deficits, Louisiana's excise taxes on beer haven't been increased since 1948, thanks largely to Brown's advocacy efforts..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/08/2003

Friday, December 05, 2003

Last call to come at 2:30 a.m. in Atlanta
Southern Voice, Atlanta, GA, December 5, 2003
"Bar owners took one on the chin early Tuesday in their fight to keep pouring alcohol until 4 a.m., as the Atlanta City Council approved a 2:30 a.m. last call for every day except Sunday.

The new ordinance takes effect Jan. 1, when businesses that sell alcohol for "on premises consumption" must close by 3 a.m. instead of the current 4 a.m. State law prohibits the sale of alcohol in bars on Sundays; restaurants and other venues can sell alcohol until midnight that day.

But the last call issue may not be dead, as the legislation mandating the earlier closing time was part of a compromise that said alcohol licenses issued, renewed or transferred for 2004 are effective from Jan. 1 to March 31. After that, the City Council could revisit the issue as license holders must apply for another alcohol license that would be valid for the remainder of the calendar year..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/05/2003

Outside Panel to Review Campaign for Alcohol
The New York Times, December 5, 2003
"Another large marketer of alcoholic beverages has agreed to having its advertising reviewed by outsiders as part of efforts to defuse the growing criticism of the industry's sales tactics.

Allied Domecq Spirits North America in Westport, Conn., a unit of Allied Domecq that sells brands like Beefeater gin and Stolichnaya vodka, said yesterday that it had formed an outside review board to help ensure its advertising is responsible and aimed only at consumers of legal drinking age. The panel, made up of three executives, will also examine any complaints against the company in areas like inappropriately targeting under-age drinkers.

In May, the Coors Brewing Company division of the Adolph Coors Company agreed to allow the Council of Better Business Bureaus to resolve complaints about its ads..."
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Thursday, December 04, 2003

Local Law Enforcement Partners With ABC to Combat Binge and Underage Drinking On UC Campuses
Yahoo News, San Luis Obispo, CA, December 4, 2003
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced today that, along with the University of California (UC), it is partnering with six local law enforcement agencies to address student alcohol abuse. The following local law enforcement agencies are joining in the effort to increase enforcement activities around selected UC campuses...

The State of California will now have active partnerships with both the UC and California State University System (CSU) by the signing of Memoranda of Understanding that commit the resources of the State to work cooperatively to help identify the scope and nature of the problems on individual campuses and focus specific strategies to address the problems in the communities. As the lead agency, ABC has worked with the CSU Chancellor's Office and the UC Office of the President to pursue grant funding opportunities and develop joint programs. The efforts are believed to be the first in the nation to address statewide, multiple institutions of higher education in such a comprehensive, coordinated effort..."
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California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

posted by Shanita | 12/04/2003

Council considers limiting U-District alcohol sales
The Daily, Seattle, WA, December 4, 2003
"The Seattle City Council will hold a public hearing tonight on proposals to restrict alcohol sales in the U-District and other areas.

Possible restrictions include limiting the hours of alcohol sales or prohibiting sales of single cans, bottles and malt beverages - drinks containing high amounts of alcohol.

If the Council passes the proposals, the restricted U-District area will extend from east of Interstate 5 to 15th Avenue Northeast, and from south of Ravenna Boulevard to North Northlake Way.

Neither Greek Row nor the University Park Neighborhood lies within the designated Alcohol Impact Area (AIA).

“These AIAs have been proposed in response to neighborhood concerns,” said Councilwoman Margaret Pageler. “We are very interested in hearing from neighbors and others who feel strongly about this tool...”
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Wednesday, December 03, 2003

City council to amend rule on alcohol use on city property
Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon, MI, December 2, 2003
"For years, the Grand Haven City Council has given groups the green light to operate beer tents on city-owned property for various festivals, including the popular Winterfest.

As it turns out, that's a legal no-no -- according to city ordinance.
The city council has discovered a flaw in an ordinance that allows "the sale" but not "consumption" of alcohol on city property. The discovery was made Monday during a city council discussion on whether the proposed "Salmon & Song Fest" should include a beer and wine tent at the Municipal Marina parking lot..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/03/2003

Survey finds drug use common among students
Marin Independent-Journal, San Rafael, CA, December 2, 2003
"A recent survey of Marin high school students indicates what many already know - teens can get drugs, alcohol and tobacco easily.

That information - along with observations by law enforcement and school officials that students are using alcohol, marijuana and tobacco as early as in middle school - prompted the Marin County School/Law Enforcement Partnership to step up anti-drug education efforts.

A survey of 588 students from Marin high schools by the Youth Health Advisory Council found that 49 percent of youths surveyed buy drugs. And of the 44 percent who say they can get drugs from friends and family, 86 percent count on their classmates.

Three quarters of the students surveyed said they used alcohol at social events or parties, and 55 percent said they used drugs on such occasions.

The school and law enforcement partnership is boosting efforts to heighten awareness of the problem..."
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Youth Health Advisory Council Survey

Advertising and Price Effects on Adolescent Drinking
National Bureau of Economic Research, December 2, 2003
"Intensive advertising by the alcohol industry has such a strong influence on adolescents that its elimination would lower underage drinking in general and binge drinking in particular, according to a study by Henry Saffer and Dhaval Dave. In Alcohol Advertising and Alcohol Consumption by Adolescents (NBER Working Paper No. 9482), the authors also find that hefty price increases could have a similar effect.

While many public health advocates claim that advertising plays an important role in adolescent drinking, the alcoholic beverage industry has rejected the connection. Companies contend that their advertising is aimed at adults and is intended to influence brand choice, not the decision of whether or not to drink. But neither side has produced much in the way of objective data to either support or refute a link between advertising and underage drinking..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/02/2003

Iowa Passes Keg Registration Ordinance
KTVO TV3, Sigourney, IA, December 1, 2003
"Monday in its regular meeting, the Keokuk County Board of Supervisors passed a county-wide ordinance requiring keg registration, in hopes of holding whoever buys the keg accountable for underage consumption. As of January 7, 2004 anyone who buys a keg of beer will need to supply more than just a valid form of identification saying they're of age. They'll soon have to leave behind their name, address and driver's license number, identifying which keg goes where and with whom..."
Keokuk Co., Iowa Passes Keg Registration Ordinance

City dealing with issues raised by liquor-by-drink passage
The Pulaski Citizen, Pulaski, TN, December 2, 2003
"...The complications of implementing liquor-by-the-drink in Pulaski come mainly from the unexpected effects it has on the city's laws pertaining to beer sales.

In some cases the city's ordinance controlling the sale of beer have more requirements than the state's laws regulating the sale of mixed drinks. These conflicts present the city with discrepancies that could be challenged in court if not changed.

"We want our beer laws to be about the same," Speer said.

One discrepancy between the beer and liquor laws the city will deal with is the time period in which beer and mixed drinks can be sold in the city. Prior to last Thursday's passage of liquor-by-the-drink, the city allowed the sale of beer between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m except Sundays. On Sundays, the city's ordinance allowed for the sale of beer between noon and 2 a.m.

State laws regulating liquor-by-the-drink allow the sale of liquor between 6 a.m. and 3 a.m. all days except Sundays. Having passed what is often referred to as the "Titans Law," the state allows for the sale of liquor-by-the-drink as early as 10 a.m. on Sundays. However, cities have the option to maintain noon as the time to allow the sale of alcohol..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/02/2003

Monday, December 01, 2003

Louisiana Lobbyist Keeps State Laws On Drinking Loose
The Wall Street Journal, Metaririe, LA, December 1, 2003
"Business was brisk at Bayou Daiquiri's drive-through window on a recent Friday night, as cars lined up four deep to buy vodka-laced frozen drinks in 32 flavors. A young woman with two children in the back seat bought a large strawberry margarita in a styrofoam cup, then weaved one-handed back onto the busy highway.

She can thank George Brown, executive director of the Beer League of Louisiana, the industry's powerful trade group. A state law passed three years ago forbids drivers to carry open containers of alcohol, but there's a line buried in the law exempting "any amount of frozen alcoholic beverage" in a cup, as long as a straw isn't stuck through the lid. Mr. Brown doesn't mind taking credit. "We did it for one of our friends" in the daiquiri business, he says.

In Louisiana, cans of beer packed in ice beckon from gas-station bins, grocery stores sell liquor 24 hours a day and many bars never close their doors. Taxes on beer are so low that a 16-ounce Busch "tall boy" sells for as little as 89 cents, less than the same amount of milk or apple juice. Unlike in most other states, bars are explicitly shielded by state law for whatever drunk patrons do once they walk out the door. Louisiana was one of the last states to raise its drinking age to 21, and among the last to set tougher blood-alcohol limits for drunk drivers..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/01/2003

US brewers: walking a fine line
Datamonitor.com, November 28, 2003
"US drinks manufacturers are strongly refuting charges of deliberately marketing their products to underage drinkers. However, every alcoholic drink manufacturer targets young legal drinkers and this may give enough grounds for the case to proceed. In the UK, manufacturers have started to use more sophisticated positioning to avoid this problem.

In the US, the drinks industry is the latest to face a lawsuit on the iniquities of its marketing strategies. In this instance, the charge is that several manufacturers have deliberately targeted underage drinkers.

There are seven companies named in the suit: Coors, Mark Anthony, Bacardi, Kobrand, Heineken [HEIN.AS], Brown-Forman [BFB] and Diageo [DGE.L]. The claim against them alleges a "long-running, sophisticated and deceptive scheme by manufacturers to market alcoholic beverages to children and other underage consumers". The suit further claims that 15-20% of all alcoholic beverages sold in the US are consumed by underage drinkers..."
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New law prompts alcohol elections
Star-Telegram, Watauga, TX, November 28, 2003
"Kim Nguyen says her food store on Rufe Snow Drive has been selling 30 bottles of wine a day since Watauga began allowing off-premises wine sales.

"A lot of people like it because they don't have to go all the way to Fort Worth," said Nguyen, the co-owner of Jamie's Food Store.

Changes in state law have made it easier to call alcohol elections, and several communities in Northeast Tarrant County are considering having votes to make wine, beer and mixed drinks more widely available..."
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posted by Shanita | 12/01/2003

Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Lummis debate ban on liquor
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Lummi Nation (Seattle), WA, November 26, 2003
"At the gateway to this reservation, posted on the entrance of the tribal liquor store, the face of a newborn girl with sleepy eyes informed late afternoon customers why the store's doors were locked last weekend.

Along with the photo of 1-month-old Cecilia Rose Julius -- now, two weeks dead -- a notice explained that alcohol sales, "out of respect for the grieving families and friends impacted by alcohol abuse," would cease nine hours earlier than usual each day.

The two-day act of partial prohibition, though a purely symbolic gesture to the infant's family, is the first measure the Lummi tribal leadership has ever enacted to restrict reservation alcohol sales, officials here say.

Now, some tribal members say it's time for something more permanent..."
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posted by Shanita | 11/26/2003

Ohio State bans all alcohol advertisements
The Cincinnati Post, Columbus, OH, November 26, 2003
"Ohio State will prohibit alcohol advertisements on local broadcasts of its games next year as part of an effort that organizers hope would lead to a national ban.

"We can be accused of hypocrisy if we're sending one message at one level and doing something else at another," athletic director Andy Geiger said. Starting next year, Ohio State will not allow alcohol advertising in the local contracts it controls or in any publications.

Ohio State sold advertising rights for $1.4 million this year.

Radio stations broadcast football and men's and women's basketball games. The spring football game is on television.

For now, Ohio State cannot ban advertising on its nationally televised games. The Big Ten bundles and sells advertising rights and has a contract that expires in 2006.

Geiger said he will take the idea on the ban to the other Big Ten schools in February in hopes of getting other schools to go along..."
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Brown-Forman Profit Up 8.8 Percent
Washington Post, Louisville, KY, November 25, 2003
"Brown-Forman Corp.'s profit rose 8.8 percent in the latest quarter, partly due to solid growth from its Jack Daniel's and Southern Comfort liquor brands and a weaker U.S. dollar.

The Louisville-based company, which also makes other products such as Lenox china, reported net income of $88.2 million, or $1.45 a share, for the fiscal 2004 second quarter ended Oct. 31. That compares with earnings of $81.1 million, or $1.18 a share, in the same quarter last year..."
See entire article

posted by Shanita | 11/26/2003

Tuesday, November 25, 2003

SPA lobbies for responsible liquor serving
Summit Daily News, Breckenridge, CO, November 23, 2003
"Twenty-five-cent beer specials would go the way of dredge boat mining in Summit County, if the Summit Prevention Alliance has its way. They would be dead.

"Drink specials like that encourage irresponsible drinking. While it might not necessarily be against the law, it does not promote a healthy community," said Beverly Gmerek, the prevention coordinator at the Summit Prevention Alliance.

"We're seeing a huge number of drunken driving arrests in the county, per capita."

In the face of that concern, the SPA is asking elected officials and liquor boards across the county to do more to discourage irresponsible drinking habits..."
See entire article

posted by Shanita | 11/25/2003

New gadget allows alcohol to be inhaled
Ananova.com, November 25, 2003
"The inventor of a gadget that enables people to inhale alcohol through their nose or mouth claim it doesn't cause hangovers.

Dominic Simler, 30, discovered that by mixing spirits with pure oxygen, a cloudy alcohol vapour can be created which can be either snorted or inhaled.

He is marketing it as AWOL, or Alcohol With Out Liquid, and says it can be used to consume any spirit..."
See entire article

ALCOHOL INDUSTRY SUED FOR MARKETING TO CHILDREN
Advertising Age, Washington, DC, November 25, 2003
"In a legal strategy similar to how state attorneys general successfully pursued tobacco companies, a class action lawsuit has been filed to recover "billions of dollars in ill-gotten profits" from alcohol makers that falsely denied their ads targeted underage drinkers.

The suit accuses brewers Coors Brewing Co. and Heineken; distilled spirits makers Mark Anthony Brands (maker of Mike's Hard Lemonade), Bacardi USA, Bacardi Group, Brown-Forman, Diageo and Kobrand (maker of Alize cognac); and the Beer Institute of a "long-running, sophisticated and deceptive scheme ... to market alcoholic beverages to children and other underage consumers."

The suit does not mention either Anheuser-Busch or Miller Brewing Co., the two largest brewers in the world..."
See entire article

posted by Shanita | 11/25/2003

Co-op Store asked to pull alcohol-related merchandise
The Penn Online, Indiana, PA, November 24, 2003
"The Co-op Store Committee doesn't believe the Co-op Store's sales of alcohol-related merchandise promote binge drinking in the IUP community but did not make an official decision because of committee members absent from Friday's meeting.

The university and its Alcohol Coalition Task Force have asked the Co-op to stop selling alcohol-related merchandise because they believe the items promote binge drinking in the IUP community.

"The concern that I have is that there will always be a drinking problem at IUP," said Co-op Store director Pete Alexander. "We need to teach responsible drinking."

The Co-op has taken steps to educate students to drink responsibly, such as placing large stickers around the alcohol-related merchandise encouraging students to drink responsibly..."
See entire article

posted by Shanita | 11/24/2003

Board gives bar owner no sympathy
The Providence Journal, Providence, RI, November, 24, 2003
"The owner of Louie's Tap said he didn't know why teenagers have been caught drinking in his bar -- or how signs advertising drinks for 75 cents, a "beer pong tournament," and a slogan "Be there or be sober" ended up on the bar's walls.

With his city license in jeopardy, Bruce Coppola threw himself on the mercy of the city Board of Licenses on Friday.

He found little sympathy.

No decision was made on the bar's fate Friday. The board has the authority to issue fines, or suspend or revoke the liquor license. An announcement is expected within 10 days of the hearing.

Louie's Tap was brought before the board because of numerous arrests of underage drinkers there this fall -- and a history of problems..."
See entire article (free registration required)

Follow That Keg
The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, November 22, 2003
"Starting today, retailers who sell beer in kegs are required by law to record keg purchasers' identification information, attach registration tags to kegs and collect a $75 deposit for each keg. The law is designed to combat underage drinking.

Retailers who don't comply face suspension or revocation of their beer licenses.

But beer retailers and trade groups say the new law will hurt keg sales and alienate customers.

"You will see a lot of retailers who do a marginal amount of business totally eliminate the package," said Bob Vessa, executive director of the Empire State Beer Distributors Association, a trade group..."
See entire article (free registration required)

posted by Shanita | 11/24/2003

Friday, November 21, 2003

You Need More Than a Message To Reduce Underage Drinking
Psychiatric News, November 21, 2003
"Raising taxes on beer, rating movies and TV shows based on their depiction of drinking alcohol, and enacting new measures to deter adults from buying alcohol for minors are ways the nation can reduce the problems associated with underage drinking, according to a report issued in September by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

The report, titled "Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility," places the societal costs of underage drinking-driving-related injuries and death, violent crime, sexual assault, unwanted pregnancies, and suicide, for example-at $53 billion a year in the United States.

By age 20, according to the report, 70 percent of those who consume alcohol engage in heavy drinking, which is defined as five or more drinks in a row during a two-week period..."
See entire article
See also a summary of the Report: Institute of Medicine "Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility"

posted by Shanita | 11/21/2003

New keg law taps a nerve
Times Union, Albany, NY, November 21, 2003
"Sales of keg beer may soon go flat.

A new law that takes effect Saturday requires a $75 deposit, redeemable only if the keg is returned within 30 days. A detailed registration form is also required, including a tag affixed to the keg noting the buyer's name.

The goal of the new law is to curb underage drinking by making it easier to trace the keg back to the buyer and seller -- and to hold them accountable when the beer lands in the cups and funnels of teenagers.

"We bust those kinds of parties almost every weekend in the summer," said Colonie Police Chief Steven Heider, who supports the law.

But some beer retailers say the new rules could force them to close their taps..."
See entire article
See related article from The Saratogian

Sunday liquor sales passed
Boston Herald, Boston, MA, November 20, 2003
"Massachusetts residents won't have to live near the state line to buy alcohol on Sunday under a plan lawmakers approved last night.

Tucked in a $100 million economic stimulus package - along with tax credits for businesses and a one-day ``sales-tax holiday'' set for Aug. 14 - is a provision allowing year-round, statewide Sunday liquor sales at package and grocery stores.

The move, which upends a long-standing tradition of banning booze sales on the Sabbath, would allow towns to opt out of the idea. Store owners would also have the option.

Package stores along Massachusetts' borders are now allowed to sell booze on Sunday, in an attempt to buffer them from the impact of Sunday liquor sales in other states, such as New Hampshire.

All package stores can sell liquor on Sundays between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.."
See entire article

posted by Shanita | 11/20/2003

Coors to roll out low-carbohydrate beer
The Boston Globe, Golden, CO, November 19, 2003
"Coors Brewing Co. said Wednesday it will launch a low-carbohydrate beer brand in 10 states on March 1, in an effort to grab a larger share of the expanding market for beers that appeal to people on low-carb diets.

Coors, the maker of the popular Coors Light brand, plans to launch its Aspen Edge beer nationwide by year's end, helped by television, billboard, radio and print advertisements, the company said.

Aspen Edge will compete with Anheuser-Busch Cos.' Michelob Ultra.

SABMiller PLC is attempting to enter the market as well, by recasting its existing Miller Lite brand as a low-carbohydrate beer..."
See entire article

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

UMd. Wants To Ban Kegs Sales In College Park
TheWBALChannel.com, College Park, MD, November 19, 2003
"An alcohol task force at the University of Maryland wants to put a ban on beer kegs.
Banning the sale of kegs in liquor stores is the latest effort to clamp down on underage drinking on the College Park campus.

At College Inn Liquors, owner Sonny Lasick says banning the sale of kegs won't stop underage drinking. "Take away one thing and they'll get another," said Lasick.

But the university's alcohol task force doesn't see it that way. Their proposal to outlaw kegs is intended to target customers older than 21 who load up on alcohol and then allow minors to drink it..."
See fulltext of article

Legislators Protest Beer Logos on Museum Exhibit
Washington Post, Washington, DC, November 19, 2003
"Just weeks before the opening of the Smithsonian's new aviation museum, 20 House members have asked the Smithsonian to remove beer logos from a historic aerobatics plane.

In a letter sent this week to Smithsonian Secretary Lawrence M. Small, the congressmen said the Loudenslager Stephens Akro Laser 200, which won several U.S. aerobatics titles as well as the 1980 World Aerobatic Championship, deserved to be in the museum. However, they said the Bud Light emblems were an advertisement and an inducement to drink -- the wrong signals to send to young visitors..."
See fulltext of article (free registration required)

Fire station drinking scrutinized
CNN.com, Torrington, WY, November 19, 2003
"Some fire chiefs say the alcohol is an important tool for recruitment and builds camaraderie, but policies that allow the consumption of beer and alcohol at fire stations are increasingly under scrutiny.

Wyoming's governor wants to put an end to the drinking after two state firefighters were charged in separate drunk driving incidents, including one that killed a 16-year-old passenger -- who was a volunteer firefighter.

"What is the rationale for having alcohol in a fire hall?" Gov. Dave Freudenthal asked. He has joined state Fire Marshal Jim Narva in asking fire departments to voluntarily dump their alcohol policies before the matter is taken to the state Legislature..."
See fulltext of article

Tuesday, November 18, 2003

Diageo's tax breaks raise some questions
The Stamford Advocate, Stamford, CT, November 18, 2003
"The more than $40 million in tax breaks for Diageo North America, which is moving its headquarters from Stamford to Norwalk, have left some wondering whether the state is investing in job growth or has fallen for a bluff.

State officials have said that Diageo was leaving Stamford for Norwalk or for New York state and the incentives were needed to retain jobs.

Under the agreement, Diageo must increase its work force in Connecticut from 700 to 1,000 and increase the amount of taxes it pays the state to reap the full tax break, which is spread out over a decade.

But state Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, questions how likely it was that Diageo would have consolidated operations in Westchester County, N.Y., where the company has some offices now..."
See fulltext of article

Athens (GA) set to take liquor applications
The Decatur Daily, Athens, GA, November 15, 2003
"In five days, applications will be taken for a liquor license in Athens.

On Wednesday, city and state officials will be at City Hall to distribute and accept applications and enroll vendors in the vendor responsibility program.

On Friday, the Athens City Council completed its last step toward liquor sales by approving changes to the zoning and sign ordinances that set requirements for areas where vendors can sell and how they can advertise.

For example, window signs for any business cannot cover more than 10 percent of the total window area. Also, vendors cannot sell alcohol in neighborhoods except for a golf course or country club..."
See fulltext of article

When you say `Budweiser' with a building
Houston Chronicle, Houston, TX, November 15, 2003
"What better place to put up a billboard than a freeway where severe traffic jams are common? That way you make sure drivers get a long chance to absorb your advertising message.

That was the thinking of the leaders of a local Budweiser beer distributor when they selected a location on the traffic-bloated Katy Freeway for its new building.

Silver Eagle Distributors, the local distributor of Anheuser-Busch beer, will build a warehouse and office building adjacent to Interstate 10, east of Loop 610. It's the major freeway connecting the downtown to the suburban communities of Katy, Memorial and all points west...

The site is highly visible. That means the beer signs on the building will be equivalent to having a big billboard on one of the world's busiest freeways, said Jeff Peden, a broker with Cushman & Wakefield.

"I don't know if there is better location for brand exposure of our signage. That was the idea from the onset," said Bob Boblitt, chief operating officer of Silver Eagle.

With the heavy traffic on that freeway, passers-by will have a better chance to see the Budweiser ads than they would if they were speeding by at 70 mph, Boblitt said.

"We wanted to find primarily a site with good access to major highways, as close to the center of the city as we could," Boblitt said..."
See fulltext of article

College students chug big mugs
Detroit Free Press, Detroit, MI, November 15, 2003
"College students drink much more alcohol than they realize, a new study suggests, raising questions about the validity of widely cited surveys on campus drinking.

The reason: Students tend to pour much more than standard servings of alcohol into cups, says the study, published in the November issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The study focused on 106 Duke University undergraduates, all of whom poured into empty cups of different sizes the amount of fluid they considered to be one serving of beer, one shot of liquor or the alcohol in one mixed drink.

Students in every case markedly overestimated the amount of alcohol for a standard drink, as defined by the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Studies Program -- a 12-ounce beer or 1 1/4 ounces of liquor in a shot or mixed drink.

The Duke students exceeded those standards -- by 80 percent for mixed drinks, 26 percent for shots and 25 percent for beer..."
See fulltext of article

posted by Shanita | 11/18/2003

SPA lobbies for responsible liquor serving
Summit Daily News, Breckenridge, CO, November 11, 2003
"Twenty-five-cent beer specials would go the way of dredge boat mining in Summit County, if the Summit Prevention Alliance has its way.

They would be dead.

"Drink specials like that encourage irresponsible drinking. While it might not necessarily be against the law, it does not promote a healthy community," said Beverly Gmerek, the prevention coordinator at the Summit Prevention Alliance.

"We're seeing a huge number of drunken driving arrests in the county, per capita."

In the face of that concern, the SPA is asking elected officials and liquor boards across the county to do more to discourage irresponsible drinking habits...

In addition to possibly saving lives, the county could save money if it didn't have to deal with so much drunken driving enforcement, drunken assaults, graffiti or other such problems incurred by intoxicated people, she added.

Sending all bartenders and servers to classes is one way to assure establishments don't sell too much alcohol to individuals..."
See fulltext of article

Ex-Coaches Call for a Ban on Beer Ads
Adweek, November 12, 2003
"Two former college coaches and an advocacy group are calling for a ban on beer ads during college sports broadcasts.

Former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith and Tom Osborne, former head coach of the University of Nebraska football team who is now a Republican Congressman from Nebraska, joined the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest on Wednesday in asking universities to stop accepting money from alcohol advertisers.

According to a poll from the advocacy group, seven in 10 Americans think beer companies that advertise on college sports know their messages appeal to underage drinkers..."
See fulltext of article

Liquor sellers may have to tag kegs
Richmond Register, Richmond, KY, November 12, 2003
"Richmond retail liquor sellers may soon be required to tag every beer keg going out their doors after the first reading of an ordinance requiring such tagging was approved at Tuesday's Richmond City Commission meeting.

David Grandgeorge, a representative of the city's community partnership on the issue and the vice-president of the Kentucky Agency of Substance Abuse local board, told the commission he thinks the ordinance will be beneficial.

"Underage drinking has been a significant problem in our community," Grandgeorge told the commission. "Beer keg tracking might be something to consider."

Grandgeorge said statistics show younger people drink a great deal from kegs, and if police arrive at keg parties where underage drinkers are present, partygoers scatter and no one takes responsibility for the keg. Tagging kegs would require someone to be responsible for that keg, which could be traced back to them through the store where the purchase was made..."
See fulltext of article

Are new congressional efforts to curb underage drinking on the right track?
Insight on the News, October 20, 2003
Illegal underage drinking is a national health crisis, and Congress must enact a national strategy to fight it effectively.

"My prior work for alcohol and drug programs has made me acutely aware of the terrible effects alcohol dependence has on individuals, families and particularly children. For that reason, I have had a longstanding interest in addressing underage drinking. In spite of the fact that drinking under the age of 21 is illegal in all 50 states, more than 10 million kids in the United States consume alcohol illegally. In the last two weeks, the average high-school senior has had five drinks. Just kids being kids?

Perhaps many think so. But the truth is underage drinking is causing enormous harm to our children and to American society at an estimated cost of $53 billion a year..."
See fulltext of article

Tagging law causes decrease in keg sales, increase in sales of cases of beer
The Purdue Exponent, West Lafayette, IN, November 11, 2003
"It has been more than a month since the keg-tagging laws have been in effect and one thing is for sure: There has been a large increase in the sales of cases of beer. This challenges one of the main reasons the law went into effect in the first place, to curb underage drinking.

According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission's Web site, the keg-tagging law went into effect Sept. 27 and requires all kegs to be tagged with identifying information about the purchaser. Tags are composed on two separate labels, one that stays at the purchase location and another that is placed on the keg. Purchasers must provide information such as their date of birth, name, address, phone number and type of identification. All tags are individually numbered and registered through the local office of the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission..."
See fulltext of article

Lodi planners to review liquor licenses, flashing signs
Lodi News-Sentinel, Lodi, CA, November 10, 2003
"Lodi planners are set to consider Wednesday the abundance of liquor outlets in Lodi and the question of whether the city should allow flashing signs.
For its population, Lodi has more than twice the number of off-sale liquor licenses than is recommended by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control board.
An ABC district administrator and a license supervisor will speak to the commission about the state's guidelines and will answer questions from the commissioners, said Konradt Bartlam, Lodi's community development director.
A suggestion that the city impose a "three strikes" rule -- where liquor stores with too many police calls could be cited or have their use permits revoked -- has been floated at meetings of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 11/10/2003

It's time to protect teens by targeting alcohol ads
The Mercury News, San Jose, Ca, November 10, 2003
"The Marlboro Man and Joe Camel are gone from the airwaves, but the Coors twins and the Labatt bear have become fixtures on TV, hawking another product that is lethal and illegal in the hands of teens.

A new study out of Georgetown University found that a substantial amount of beer ads on TV and in magazines reach an underage audience, despite industry standards that prohibit marketing to kids. It also found that the industry's ``drink responsibly'' commercials are more likely to be seen by parents than by the teens they are supposed to reach.

And it found that drinking is too often promoted in films aimed at teens. Last weekend's top grossing film was ``Scary Movie 3'' which features the sexy Coors twins. The movie is rated PG-13.

For years, the alcohol industry has policed itself, banning ads that feature young-looking models or explicit sex. But the Georgetown study shows it's time for independent oversight..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 11/10/2003

Talk of booze overflows in dry town
The Biloxi Sun Herald, Minden, LA, November 10, 2003
"For a dry town, signs of alcohol are everywhere.

Residents see it on yard signs and in television and newspaper advertisements. They get unsolicited phone calls, and people show up at their front doors to talk about alcohol.

Voters in this north Louisiana town, the seat of rural Webster Parish, will vote Saturday on whether local restaurants should be allowed to sell alcohol. Minden, population 13,000, is awash in the alcohol question.

"We've got a lot of people who are working very hard. We are pleased with the numbers of people who are helping," said Graydon Kitchens Jr., a retired judge who chairs the Minden Family Forum, a group opposing the proposition..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 11/10/2003

COORS UNDER FIRE FOR PG-13 MOVIE TIE-INS
Advertising Age, November 4, 2003
"Adolph Coors Co. is under fire from a youth anti-alcohol group for its involvement in a Halloween movie the group said directly targets teens. Just a month after alcohol marketers agreed to advertise only in media that reached an audience consisting of at least 70% adults, the Marin Institute has accused Coors of defying those guidelines by promoting its tie-in with Miramax's Scary Movie 3. What's scary to Marin executives about the film, produced by Miramax sub-label Destination Films, is its PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. The PG-13 rating states, "Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 11/07/2003

Police chief: It may be time to charge vendors for alcohol abuse
The Deming Headlight, New Mexico, November 7, 2003
"A bit exasperated with his officers warning and later arresting the same homeless man several times within a week, Deming's Chief of Police says it may be time for others to help cover costs. Chief Michael Carillo noted Wednesday morning that a Tuesday arrest of a 54-year-old homeless man marked the third time within a week the individual had been warned about trespassing, later arrested for trespassing and required a 12-hour detoxification hold for his own protection. Arrested Sunday and released Tuesday, the man was in custody again Tuesday night. Carillo said the man was so inebriated on the last arrest he could not stand, that he had in his pocket a sales slip from a local vendor and perhaps it was time vendors be billed for cost of such cases if there were proof of a sale to someone who was drunk. It is against the law to sell alcohol to someone who is inebriated..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 11/07/2003

City Says Strong 'No' To 'Convenience' Liquor Sales
The Journal & Topics Newspaper, Des Plaines, IL, November 5, 2003
"A proposal to permit the sale of packaged liquor in a convenience-type store near Mannheim Road and Prospect Avenue, was turned down by aldermen Monday night. The owners of the store were seeking city permission to sell carry-out liquor at 1924 Mannheim Rd. They were the latest in a number of small convenience stores that have sought city permission to sell carry-out beer and wine. About a year ago, aldermen departed from their long standing ban against allowing such sales by permitting the owners of a new store at Oakton Street and Wolf Road to sell the merchandise. Last week in an exclusive page 1 story in the Journal, it was reported that the owner of a nearby day care center was opposing the liquor license contending that it is too close to her business where more than 80 children are cared for on a daily basis. Two aldermen, Tom Becker (6th) and Dick Sayad (4th), cited information they recently received from Police Chief Jim Prandini about crime in the area as reason why they oppose the proposal..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 11/07/2003

Friday, October 31, 2003

Coors' movie tie scary indeed
The State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL, October 31, 2003
"...While this may be sound advice, it's not exactly breaking news. So we turn our focus from the traditional Halloween urban legend warnings to something we find far more sinister: The co-opting of a children's fun day by the beer industry. Specifically, Coors Brewing Co.'s irresponsible decision to cross-market its alcoholic product with what is clearly a teen-targeted movie released for the Halloween horror movie season.

COORS OFFICIALS say there's nothing wrong with its sponsorship of "Scary Movie 3," which opened a week ago and obviously will be a popular attraction with Halloween falling on a Friday this year. After all, they say, about 70 percent of the audience for the first two "Scary Movie" movies was over 21, the legal drinking age. But the third installment of this spoof on scary movies is rated PG-13 - and that, as all parents know, means it's made for high school kids.

Coors has been hawking this movie as part of its fleshy, wild party ad campaign, interspersing funny clips from the movie with shots of 20-somethings drinking Coors and "the twins" vamping in bikinis..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/31/2003

Diverse College Campuses Yield Lower Binge Drinking Rates
Harvard School of Public Health, Ocotber 31, 2003
"Drinking rates among higher-risk drinkers on American college campuses-those who are white, male and underage-are significantly lower on college campuses with larger proportions of minority, female and older students. Researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (CAS) reported these findings in a study appearing in the November 2003 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The study is the first to examine the role of college student demographics and diversity in moderating binge drinking among high-risk students.

Most significantly, however, the findings show that greater diversity on campuses may serve as a risk-protective factor, even for those who were binge drinkers in high school. The study found that incoming white freshmen who did not binge drink in high school were less likely to start binge drinking as college students, if their universities had higher proportions of African American, Latino, Asian or older students. And, incoming white freshmen who were binge drinking in high school were less likely to continue drinking in this way when attending schools with higher percentages of minority or older students..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/31/2003

County considers alcohol fee
Anderson Independent-Mail, Anderson, SC October 30, 2003
"Selling alcohol in Hart County could soon be more expensive. County commissioners meeting Tuesday night reviewed a new fee structure that would increase regulatory fees currently charged to restaurants, stores and distributors. They took no vote but asked county officials for more information about the costs of regulating alcohol sales.

According to the county's code of ordinances, restaurants and private clubs (which sell beer and wine for on-site consumption) are charged $1,200; stores (selling for off-site consumption) are charged $500; and distributors aren't charged anything.

Commissioners discussed raising those fees to $1,600 for on-site consumption, $800 for off-site and up to $2,500 for distributors..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita 10/31/2003

Wednesday, October 29, 2003

Critics do double take at Coors twins' film role
Rocky Mountain News, October 29, 2003
"Golden-based Coors Brewing Co. takes a strong public stand against advertising to underage drinkers, but some say Coors' latest film venture sends a different message. On its Web site, Coors says it works to ensure that "advertising and marketing materials are directed to audiences with a majority of people of legal drinking age."

Yet Coors Light beer and its blonde, identical twin pitch women appear in the PG-13 rated Scary Movie 3, last weekend's top grossing film at $49.7 million. A PG-13 rating - which cautions parents that some material may not be suitable for preteens but doesn't restrict anyone from seeing it - came as a surprise to Coors, spokeswoman Hilary Martin said.

The California-based Marin Institute, a nonprofit aimed at reducing alcohol-related problems through prevention, is urging consumers to write to Coors Chief Executive Peter Coors..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/29/2003

Underage Drinking Concern in Oakland
KRON 4 News, October 29, 2003
"State Assembly Majority Leader Wilma Chan, D-Oakland, held a public hearing Tuesday on what she described as "the emerging health crisis of underage drinking."

Chan said she believes the beer and distilled spirits industries are fueling the crisis with ads targeting underage drinkers and using images that are highly attractive to young people.

Chan said alcohol is the most widely used drug among American children and youth, citing research showing that one in five eighth graders has been drunk. That's particularly dangerous, Chan said, because children who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who wait until the age of 21..."
See fulltext of article
Related Page: Public hearing tackles teen drinking

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/29/2003

Locations of ABC stores under fire
Collegiate Times, October 29, 2003
"The Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is taking steps to relocate two of its stores after complaints from a church and a high school. George Mason High School in Falls Church and Walnut Grove Presbyterian Church in Bristol voiced disapproval about the location of ABC stores located within sight of the disgruntled parties.

Whitney Miller, public relations specialist for the Virginia ABC Department's central office in Richmond, said ABC board members are feverishly negotiating alternative locations for the ABC stores under scrutiny.

"The board has decided to explore a more in-depth policy concerning its store locations," she said. "This is a priority..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita 10/29/2003

Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Assemblymember Wilma Chan cordially invites you to attend a hearing of the Select Committee on California Children's School Readiness and Health...
View the invitation

Monday, October 27, 2003

Hundreds of Youth Killed Every Year Due to Underage Drinking Health Crisis-- Public Hearing in Oakland on Tuesday
Assembly Majority Leader Wilma Chan, Press Release, October 27, 2003
WHAT: Public Hearing: "Children Under the Influence: Alcohol Advertising and Reducing Underage Alcohol Use" to be held by the Select Committee on California Children's School Readiness and Health, Hon. Wilma Chan, Chairwoman.
WHEN: Tuesday, October 28th 10:30AM-12:30PM
WHERE: Elihu M. Harris State Building 1515 Clay St. in Oakland.The hearing is open to the public and close to bus and BART.
WHO: Presenters and topics include:

• Marissa Lopez, Youth Organizer, Sacramento - The problem andits consequences: A youth's perspective
• Dr. David Jernigan, Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth -The role of the alcohol industry in the problem: A researcher's findings
• Paula Birdsong, Executive Director, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, California - The problem and its consequences for families: Parents' perspective
• Deputy Chief Michael Holland, Oakland Police Department -The perspective from law enforcement
• Joel Grube, Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation - The problem and potential solutions: Findings of the Institute of Medicine report
• Reverend Harvey N. Chinn, Executive Director, California Council on Alcohol Problems - The problem and its consequences: A faith perspective
• David Mohammed, the Mentoring Center - Solutions in practice: A local perspective
• Everest Robillard, District Administrator, California Alcohol Beverage Control - Solutions in practice: A state perspective
• Quyen-Thi Nguyen, Youth Organizer - The importance of youth in developing a solution.

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/27/2003

Virginia to alter policy on placing liquor stores
DailyPress.com, October 27, 2003
"Virginia will consider the proximity of schools, churches and other establishments when deciding where to locate its state-run liquor stores and will seek input from the community, officials said. Previously, the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Control only had to consider market factors--such as household income in a particular area and the profit potential of an outlet _ before opening an ABC store.

ABC Chairman Vernon M. Danielson told The Washington Post the department is changing its policy after residents of Falls Church and Bristol protested placing liquor stores near a high school and a church. Danielson said his department will try to move both stores once suitable alternate sites are found..."
See fulltext of article

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/27/2003

Beer kegs tapped
Shawnee News Star, October 25, 2003
"Beer sold in metal barrels, or kegs, is the focus of a new Oklahoma keg registration law that becomes effective Nov. 1.

House Bill 1014 is aimed at curbing problems with underage drinking by making those who purchase kegs and provide beer to minors responsible. Authorities will track kegs back to purchasers through a registration system.

The law requires licensed sellers of low-point beer kegs to place numbered seals on a keg each time it's sold, then match the buyer's name, address, signature and driver's license number with the keg's unique registration ID number. Retailers are required to keep all records for at least one year. The system allows police to track a keg -- first to a retailer, then to its buyer -- making both retailers and buyers more accountable..."
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Headlines | posted by Shanita 10/27/2003

State's colleges step up alcohol abuse warnings
Contra Costa Times, October 26, 2003
"The four UC Davis students who recently drank so much they were taken to the hospital for alcohol poisoning may not have known how to handle their liquor, but it's a safe bet they knew what they were doing was wrong. Alcohol awareness programs in Davis and on college campuses throughout the land have increased efforts the past few years to harness student drinking mishaps and occasional tragedies. Warnings, advice, surveys and statistics, students get them all on alcohol abuse.

And yet, it remains unclear to many campus officials whether the innovative programs are making a dent. With fall college sessions in full swing, all too many students arrived on campus eager to hit the bottle when they are not hitting the books..."
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Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/27/2003

Friday, October 24, 2003

Coors and its 'twins' promote kids movie
San Diego Union-Tribune, October 24, 2003
"Coors Brewing Co. officials say there's nothing wrong with its sponsorship of "Scary Movie 3," which opens in theaters today. After all, they say, about 70 percent of the audience for the first two "Scary Movie" movies was over 21, the legal drinking age. But the third installment of this spoof on scary movies is rated PG-13 ³ and that, as all parents know, means it's made for high school kids.

Coors has been hawking this movie as part of its fleshy, wild party ad campaign, interspersing funny clips from the movie with shots of 20-somethings drinking Coors and "the twins" vamping in bikinis. Who are the twins? Ask your teenage son..."
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Related Link: The Marin Institute's Scary Beer Ads Campaign at: www.CoorsTwins.com

Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/24/2003

U.S. Wine Consumption Projected to Increase 5 Percent in 2003
Wine Spectator Online, October 24, 2003
"Total wine consumption in the United States increased 6 percent in 2002 to 245 million 9-liter cases, and is expected to grow by another 5 percent this year, according to The U.S. Wine Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast, 2003 Edition. The exclusive research indicates that the wine market will continue to expand to more than 300 million cases by 2010..."
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Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/24/2003

As cases move through courts, conservatives debate alcohol shipment laws
Newsday.com, October 24, 2003
"Laws barring direct shipments of alcohol into Michigan and 23 other states were the subject of a debate between high-profile conservatives Wednesday, with supporters saying the laws combat teen drinking and opponents saying they're outdated and discriminatory.

The debate is one that's been mirrored in the courts. A federal appeals court upheld Indiana's direct shipping law, but judges have recently ruled against direct shipment laws in North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Cases are pending in Michigan, New York, Ohio and New Jersey, and both sides believe the U.S. Supreme Court could take up the issue in the next few years..."
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Headlines | posted by | 10/24/2003

Low-Carb Beer - The Next New Category
ProBrewer.com, October 24, 2003
"Anheuser-Busch's newest beer wasn't targeting your typical beer drinker in its advertisements, which featured healthy-looking trim young folks working out. Michelob Ultra's national launch of low-carb beer, now a year old, addressed a new market consisting of people on the popular Atkins-style low-carbohydrate diets who still want to enjoy a glass or two of beer. The beer found its niche, and then some: A-B's second-quarter earnings were up 7.9%, and Michelob Ultra figured prominently in the results..."
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Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/24/2003

Anheuser-Busch Earnings Rise 7 Percent
Akron Beacon Journal, October 23, 2003
"Anheuser-Busch Cos. earnings rose 7 percent in the third quarter on strong growth from all of its business segments, the world's largest brewer said Wednesday.

Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Budweiser, Bud Light and other beers, earned $664 million, or 80 cents per share, in the quarter ending Sept. 30, up from $622 million, or 71 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago.

The results matched the expectations of analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call. Sales rose 4.5 percent to $4.47 billion from $4.27 billion..."
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Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/24/2003

Family settles with Hooters in death suit
Billings Gazette, October 23, 2003
"OCALA, Fla. - The family of a 20-year-old who was killed when he wandered onto Interstate 75 after a night of drinking at the Ocala Hooters settled a lawsuit against the restaurant Thursday for $1 million, the family's attorney said.

Daniel Loux, a resident of Truckee, Calif., came to Ocala in early November 2001 for a firefighters' seminar. After getting drunk at the Ocala Hooters on Nov. 5, 2001, he wandered onto I-75, where he died after being struck by a semi-tractor.

Loux's parents, Gary and Linda Loux, filed the lawsuit against the local Hooters franchise, Hooters of America, the company that owned the truck that killed their son, the company that operated the truck, and the truck driver..."
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Headlines | posted by Shanita | 10/24/2003

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Spillage in alcohol advertising
The Oregonian, October 22, 2003
"The insidious art of "product placement" reaches new levels of sophistication, if you can call it that, with the casting of the Coors twins in "Scary Movie 3," opening Friday.
The movie is rated PG-13. Although the fine print ("Parents strongly cautioned") might give some parents pause, few read the fine print. Most will interpret this rating to mean that the movie is fine for 14 and older.

Coors says the audience for the tw