Educational Resources Highlight 21^st Amendment as Origin of America’s State-Based Regulatory System

ALEXANDRIA, VA – This Constitution Day, celebrated annually on September 17, the Center for Alcohol Policy is highlighting its educational resources that explain the 21^st Amendment’s role in establishing America’s state-based regulatory system.

The Center for Alcohol Policy video The Origins of America’s State-Based Regulatory System illustrates the origin of today’s alcohol regulatory system, which works to balance alcohol control with an orderly and competitive marketplace.

The video features Center for Alcohol Policy advisors Brannon Denning, professor at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, and Jerry Oliver, Sr., former Arizona alcohol regulator and chief of police for Detroit, Richmond and Pasadena.

“The 21^st Amendment was important because not only did it repeal Prohibition but it also returned control over alcohol policy where it belongs, to state and local governments who can determine what kinds of policies serve the needs of their citizens best,” Denning said.

The video describes the Center’s republication of the book Toward Liquor Control, which outlined how states should regulate the sale and serving of alcohol following the repeal of Prohibition, and how the book is still helping shape policy today.

“It gives the tenets for why alcohol should be controlled at the local level, why states and local jurisdiction are to have the final say as to how alcohol is accessed and how it’s distributed,” said Oliver.

“It’s clear that what’s acceptable in Nevada isn’t necessarily acceptable in Utah,” added Denning. “The 21^st Amendment and the flexibility of state-based regulation allows those local differences to be taken into account.”

Another educational resource that explains the 21^st Amendment’s role in establishing America’s state-based alcohol regulatory system and offers tips for those charged with enforcing state laws today is the brief guide, “Alcohol Beverage Control: The Basics for New State Alcohol Regulators,” written by former alcohol regulator Roger B. Johnson, a 38-year veteran of the Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement Unit of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, and published by the Center.

The Center also supported the development of a “Toast the Constitution!” lesson plan. Through a partnership with the Bill of Rights Institute, this resource helps educators teach students about the origins of the 18^th Amendment, the individuals and groups who fought for and against Prohibition, and the events that led to its repeal with the passage of the 21^st Amendment.

To learn more about the Center for Alcohol Policy and its programs, please visit www.centerforalcholpolicy.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.

Underage Drinking, Prevention Efforts and Trade Practices Also Highlighted

 DALLAS, TX – Enforcement of alcohol regulations and policies was a recurring theme during the Center for Alcohol Policy’s Ninth Annual Law and Policy Conference held at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel August 28 – 30 in Dallas, Texas. The conference brought together a diverse group of state and federal alcohol regulators, law enforcement, legislators, public health advocates and alcohol beverage industry representatives to review trends in the field of alcohol regulation and learn from best practices around the country.

Jim Hall, Center for Alcohol Policy advisor and former National Transportation Safety Board chairman, welcomed attendees and summarized the objectives of the conference saying, “Look around the room. There are regulators, legislators, federal health officials, public health interest groups, trade groups, law enforcement and industry members. We may not always agree on policy, but the fact that we are all under one roof having a civil debate is an accomplishment not only for the Center for Alcohol Policy but also for your leadership in your respective fields.”

The conference began with a presentation by staff of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the lead federal agency charged with coordinating the federal response to underage drinking. SAMHSA Chief of Staff Tom Coderre and Public Health Analyst Rob Vincent reviewed data, trends and prevention strategies to address this important public health priority. While progress has been made in this fight, especially with regard to episodic drinking by 12-17 year olds, the SAMHSA officials pointed out that progress seems to have stalled with the 18-20 age group.

During the question and answer portion of the session “Legislators and Regulators Working Together,” Jerry Oliver, a member of the Center’s Advisory Council and former regulator and chief of police, made a passionate plea to a panel of state regulators and legislators to provide the resources to properly staff and enforce the licensing and trade practice regulations that are so important to protect public safety. Oliver cited the past trends of budget cuts and staff reductions in alcohol regulatory agencies that have created a situation where a mere handful of alcohol enforcement agents are responsible for overseeing an entire state area and tens of thousands of licensees.

During the session “Trade Practices in the Headlines,” Shawn Walker, deputy chief for the Bureau of Law Enforcement of the Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, reviewed his agency’s recent efforts to increase trade practice enforcement in their state. Rather than a few well-publicized stings for those breaking trade practice rules, the Virginia initiative starts with an educational effort with all three tiers of the industry to review the market practice rules and notify the industry that the agency’s special investigations unit will soon begin a much more aggressive approach to enforcement of these important regulations. The goal is to achieve voluntary compliance through education.

The session “The Need for Greater Expertise in Alcohol Litigation” provided an annual update on alcohol litigation. Other important topics covered at the conference included intellectual property and alcohol law, international trade and alcohol and issues in private label alcohol.

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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.