Center for Alcohol Policy Recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month
ALEXANDRIA, VA –The Center for Alcohol Policy is joining organizations across the country in April to recognize Alcohol Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign that raises awareness of the problems that alcohol abuse can cause for individuals, their families and their communities.
“Alcohol Awareness Month is a reminder that alcohol is unique and that policymakers, regulators and the public need to be educated on responsible consumption,” said Jim Hall, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and current member of the Center’s Advisory Council. “The Center for Alcohol Policy is committed to providing research and educational programming toward this end.”
“The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution repealed Prohibition in 1933 and established today’s effective system of state-based alcohol regulation,” Hall continued. “And the public supports today’s regulatory system. The Center’s recent national opinion poll found that over 80% of Americans are in support of the existing system for purchasing alcohol in their state and support the state’s ability to regulate alcohol.”
The most recent report released by the Center for Alcohol Policy examines the history and purpose of tied-house prohibitions found in federal and state alcohol laws and explains how these prohibitions are as relevant today as when enacted following the repeal of Prohibition. The report, “The Dangers of Common Ownership in an Uncommon Industry: Alcohol Policy in America and the Timeless Relevance of Tied-House Restrictions,” was authored by former executive counsel for the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and alcohol law attorney Jessica C. Starns.
The report illustrates the conflict between the marketplace and public health issues America faced with alcohol pre-Prohibition, how alcohol control policies were formed by the states following Prohibition, and how the current alcohol regulatory system has worked to maintain a vibrant alcohol marketplace while at the same time addressing public health concerns.
The Center’s annual alcohol law and policy conference is one program that highlights alcohol’s unique attributes and the need for its effective regulation. It brings together a wide range of experts in the field of alcohol law – including attorneys, current and former alcohol regulators, state legislators, academic thought leaders, public health advocates and other experts – to discuss and debate current alcohol laws and challenges. The Center’s 11th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference will be held Oct. 9 – 11, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn.
The Sixth Annual Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award, which recognizes the work of alcohol regulators who oversee the alcohol industry and promote public safety, will be awarded during the conference. Nominations will be accepted until July 20, 2018.
Visit www.centerforalcoholpolicy.org to learn more about the Center’s programs and initiatives.
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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.