CHICAGO, IL – The Seventh Annual Center for Alcohol Policy (CAP) Alcohol Law and Policy Conference kicked off day two at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois. This annual event brings together a wide range of experts in the field of alcohol law – including attorneys, current and former alcohol regulators, academic thought leaders, public health advocates and other experts – to discuss and debate current alcohol laws and challenges.

Michele Simon of Eat Drink Politics led a discussion about marijuana legalization and alcohol, focusing on rhetoric versus reality. Panelists included Jonathan Caulkins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University; Matt Cook, former senior director of enforcement for the Colorado Department of Revenue; and Mary Segawa, health education liaison for the Washing State Liquor Control Board. They spoke about the ongoing debate surrounding marijuana legalization and the relevance of alcohol regulation to the current debate. Specifically, the panelists discussed the recent implementations of marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington state, along with the science and parties behind each state’s policies.

Beer Distributors of Massachusetts Executive Director Bill Kelley led a discussion of state alcohol regulators from California, Illinois, Massachusetts and former Arizona alcohol regulator and CAP Advisory Council member Jerry Oliver. The current and former alcohol regulators discussed trends and observations from their perspective, including budget challenges and regulating a growing, diverse industry. The panel discussed the problems of conflicting industry agendas and state legislative direction. The panel highlighted how the alcohol industry is a regulated industry, which means regulators need to note when regulations are violated.

The conference concluded with a discussion of legal developments in alcohol retailing moderated by Hospitality and Alcohol Beverage Group Chairman Anthony Kogut. American Beverage Licensees Executive Director John Bodnovich and University of Miami School of Law Professor Dr. Stephen Diamond discussed high profile legal cases that are winding their way through the federal court system, as well as the changing face of the alcohol retailing industry. They specifically addresses such legal issues as residency laws, where alcohol can be sold and limits on licenses.

More details on speakers, education session topics and the symposium program can be found at www.centerforalcoholpolicy.org. Click here to read a summary from day one of the conference, and read live updates from the event on Twitter using the hashtag #CAPLaw.

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The Center for Alcohol Policy is a 501 c (3) organization whose mission is to educate policy makers, regulators and the public about alcohol, its uniqueness and regulation. By conducting sound and scientific-based research and implementing initiatives that will maintain the appropriate state-based regulation of alcohol, the Center promotes safe and responsible consumption, fights underage drinking and drunk driving and informs key entities about the effects of alcohol consumption. For more information, visit www.centerforalcoholpolicy.org or follow the Center on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlcoholPolicy.

Oklahoma Regulator Recognized for Efforts to Enforce State Alcohol Laws and Promote Public Safety

CHICAGO, IL – The Center for Alcohol Policy (CAP) is pleased to announce that Oklahoma Alcohol Beverage Laws Enforcement (ABLE) Commission Director A. Keith Burt is the recipient of the Second Annual Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award.

The award, which recognizes the work of alcohol regulators who oversee the alcohol industry and promote public safety, was presented yesterday evening by CAP Advisory Council member and former Arizona alcohol regulator Jerry Oliver at the Seventh Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference taking place at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois.

“The Center for Alcohol Policy understands that alcohol regulators are the front lines of many great initiatives in the states aimed at keeping the alcohol industry properly regulated, promoting public health and safety and supporting a healthy business marketplace,” Oliver said. “This award highlights effective best practices that may serve as examples to alcohol regulators in other states.”

“Keith Burt‘s tireless energy, creativity and dedication to community outreach makes him stand out from the pack,” Oliver continued. “He is possibly the longest serving state alcohol regulator in the country, having started at the ABLE Commission as an accountant in 1980, yet he humbly works every day to advance the interest of Oklahomans. He has risen through the ranks to become director and always celebrates the work of the staff at the ABLE Commission. He has been a driving force in the 2Much2Lose (2M2L) efforts to prevent underage sales in Oklahoma.”

Oliver added, “Keith Burt oversees 60,000 licenses and oversaw tremendous changes in Oklahoma regulation brought about by ‘liquor by the drink’ implementation and tobacco enforcement – all while the number of employees has shrunk. One of his greatest initiatives is weekly sending ABLE agents into grade schools, high schools and college campuses in an effort to be proactive and enlighten our youth on the life-changing consequences of alcohol abuse.”

Click here to download a photo of A. Keith Burt.

For more information, please call (703) 519-3090 or email info@centerforalcoholpolicy.org.

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 The Center for Alcohol Policy is a 501 c (3) organization whose mission is to educate policy makers, regulators and the public about alcohol, its uniqueness and regulation. By conducting sound and scientific-based research and implementing initiatives that will maintain the appropriate state-based regulation of alcohol, the Center promotes safe and responsible consumption, fights underage drinking and drunk driving and informs key entities about the effects of alcohol consumption. For more information, visit www.centerforalcoholpolicy.org or follow the Center on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlcoholPolicy.

CHICAGO, IL – The Seventh Annual Center for Alcohol Policy (CAP) Alcohol Law and Policy Conference began today at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois, with a welcome by CAP Advisory Council member and former Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch. He noted that the conference is a key opportunity for a diverse group of state alcohol regulators, public health advocates, members of the alcohol beverage industry and others interested in alcohol policy issues to come together to learn and share ideas.

Mississippi Attorney General and National Association of Attorneys General President Jim Hood delivered a keynote address on the role state attorneys general play in defending state regulations, including alcohol policies, and efforts to prevent underage drinking. General Hood also discussed his interest in fighting counterfeiting in all forms, from intellectual property theft to black market production. He applauded the Center for highlighting the American success story on alcohol regulation in fighting alcohol counterfeiting.

Attendees also heard from Former Chief Counsel for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Robert Tobiassen, who moderated a panel on counterfeit alcohol, which contrasted problems in other countries with its rare occurrence in the United States. Former Commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control Murphy Painter and Illinois Liquor Control Commission Executive Director Gloria Materre spoke about the elements of the U.S. regulatory system that work to maintain a safe and prosperous marketplace for alcohol and explained how the U.S. system differs from other countries, such as England. Tobiassen also unveiled to conference attendees a new report on this topic, “The ‘Fake Alcohol’ Situation in the United States: The Impact of Culture, Market Economics, and the Current Regulatory Systems.”

The future of alcohol supplier-distributor laws was discussed on a panel moderated by Mike Madigan, managing partner of Madigan, Dahl & Harlan, P.A. Attorneys Bill Kelley, Francis O’Brien and Jim Webster highlighted the policy reasons behind franchise laws and discussed industry growth, consumer selection and public accountability. The panel addressed state alcohol laws that govern the regulated alcohol industry and efforts by certain large economic players to get around these state laws.

A panel moderated by Brannon Denning, CAP Advisory Council member and professor at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, addressed the First Amendment and alcohol regulation. The panel featured Alcohol Justice Executive Director Bruce Livingston, Jerry Whalen of the Office of Michigan Attorney General and Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the National Beer Wholesalers Association Paul Pisano. They discussed the Supreme Court’s changing landscape for First Amendment standards, yet the practical implications of many state alcohol laws seeking to protect the public and regulate the industry.

A panel on underage sales compliance was moderated by Responsible Retailing Forum (RRF) President Dr. Brad Krevor, who discussed how regulators and alcohol law enforcement officers are recognizing the importance of voluntary measures by licensees to achieve compliance with laws prohibiting sales to minors. The RRF has been recognized for its leadership in bridging the gap between retailers and law enforcement in efforts to fight underage drinking. Green Bay Police Department Captain William Bongle, Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control Division Chief Kathie Durbin and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Assistant Administrator Ed Swedberg examined non-punitive approaches that can raise compliance rates and the role of incentives in achieving regulatory objectives.

The final panel focused on post-Prohibition alcohol regulation. Professor at the University of Central Oklahoma and former General Counsel for the Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission John Maisch and National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Senior Vice President of Public Policy/Communications Steve Schmidt spoke about the similarities between America’s task of creating a post-Prohibition alcohol regulatory structure in 1933 and the Oglala Sioux’s current task in setting up an alcohol control system after a 2013 vote to overturn a century-old ban on alcohol. The panel concluded with a screening of Maisch’s documentary Sober Indian/Dangerous Indian: A Story of Empowerment Through Sobriety.

The Seventh Annual CAP Alcohol Law and Policy Conference continues Friday, September 5, at the Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois. Additional details regarding the conference agenda can be found at www.centerforalcoholpolicy.org.

For live updates from the event, follow @AlcoholPolicy on Twitter using the hashtag #CAPLaw.

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 The Center for Alcohol Policy is a 501c(3) organization whose mission is to educate policy makers, regulators and the public about alcohol, its uniqueness and regulation. By conducting sound and scientific-based research and implementing initiatives that will maintain the appropriate state-based regulation of alcohol, the Center promotes safe and responsible consumption, fights underage drinking and drunk driving and informs key entities about the effects of alcohol consumption. For more information, visit www.centerforalcoholpolicy.org or follow the Center on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlcoholPolicy.

Former Chief Counsel for the United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Robert M. Tobiassen released a report, “The ‘Fake Alcohol’ Situation in the United States: The Impact of Culture, Market Economics, and the Current Regulatory Systems,” at the Center for Alcohol Policy (CAP) Seventh Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

As part of a panel on “Counterfeit Alcohol: A Global vs. United States Perspective,” Tobiassen described the study’s analysis of “the numerous incidents of fake alcohol products in countries around the world that are routinely reported in the news media, government announcements, social media, and medical and scientific literature with the resulting deaths, social unrest, and marketplace disruptions, among other adverse outcomes.” In contrast, the study documents few such incidents reported in the United States.

Tobiassen outlined the reasons for the few incidents of fake alcohol products in the United States identified in the study, including “a strong cultural respect for the rule of law and lack of corruption in governance,” along with “strong regulatory systems that police the production, importation, distribution and retail sales of alcohol beverages through independent parties” and the country’s “competitive marketplace that provides alcohol beverages at all price points including inexpensive yet safe (in a quality control context) alcohol beverages thereby negating the demand for fake alcohol (except for moonshine).”

The report notes that public policy makers must balance competing goals and develop intervention tools that offset the social harms associated with the availability of low-cost alcohol beverages, combat the distribution of fake alcohol products and prevent a corrupt illicit production and trade marketplace.