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AB 1060 is an important bill that would stop retailers from selling alcoholic beverages using a self-checkout system. AB 1060 has passed through the State Senate and Assembly and is awaiting the Governor’s signature.
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Marin Institute has published a report on Big Alcohol’s efforts to privatize alcohol sales in control states. The report, titled „Control State Politics: How Big Alcohol is Dismantling Regulation State by State,“ explains the likely outcomes to states that turn over alcohol sales to private businesses. These states may experience a short-term cash windfall, but loss of reliable income, coupled with increases in alcohol-related harm, will damage economic stability and public health in the longer term. (Source: Marin Institute, 9/21/10) – Press Release – Read Report

An expert working group recommended on Sept. 15 to replace the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) with a new Institute on Addictions within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to an email sent to NIAAA liaison representatives. … Source: Join Together, 9/17/10)

Supporters of a Utah campaign to cut underage drinking say surveys show it is working, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Sept. 9.
Surveys performed in 2007 and 2009 found 5,500 fewer school children reported using alcohol during the past 30 days, and 2,600 fewer reported binge drinking over the same time period.
Gov. Gary Herbert said that data show that the state’s media and education campaign, ParentsEmpowered.org, is successful.
Another survey found that the campaign has reached over 125,000 parents, said Art Brown, president of Mother’s Against Drunk Driving Utah. (Source: Join Together, 9/14/10)

People in developing economies just aren’t drinking enough beer. That’s the argument analysts at Credit Suisse have laid out in a series of reports touting the beer and the alcoholic beverage sector. But there’s hope for thirsty Brazilians and Chinese, the analysts say: It’s just a matter of time before they start guzzling almost as much beer as Americans and Europeans. (Source: Marin Institute) npr.org, 8/18/10

People love to complain about „sin taxes“ on unhealthy or socially undesirable foods and beverages (for instance, this Booster Shots item on a proposal to tax fattening foods to pay for obesity-related healthcare costs has prompted 831 comments so far). We know many of you think the government has better things to do than police what you put into your mouth. But have you ever stopped to consider how these taxes can help us? (Source: Marin Institute) Los Angeles Times, 8/11/10

The groundbreaking San Francisco Charge for Harm bill is the first of its kind in California. The ordinance was introduced on June 22, 2010 by Supervisor John Avalos and is co-sponsored by Supervisors Maxwell and Mirkarimi. Supported by a „nexus study“ titled The Cost of Alcohol to San Francisco, the ordinance would charge alcohol wholesalers and others for some of the unreimbursed alcohol-related costs incurred by San Francisco government agencies, including treatment and health care. (Source: Marin Institute, 8/31/10)

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s ill-conceived plan to privatize the sale of spirits in his state will jeopardize the public’s health and cost the state money, as findings from peer-reviewed studies illustrate. One such study was published this month in the journal Addiction.
The new study concluded that privatizing Sweden’s government monopoly on the sale of alcohol would significantly increase alcohol-related harm, including violence. Depending on the type of privatization enacted, total alcohol consumption in Sweden is predicted to increase by 17 – 37%, with thousands more alcohol-related deaths, assaults, and drunk driving offenses per year and as many as 11 million more days of sick leave. (Source: Marin Institute, 9/06/10)

The BMA has welcomed plans to set the minimum price per unit of alcohol in Scotland at 45 pence.
Commenting on the proposed price announced by the Cabinet Secretary this morning, Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said that so far, no credible alternative to minimum pricing had been identified by opposition parties and he urged them to back the Alcohol Bill. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/03/10)

Responding to figures from the North West Public Health Observatory on the effects of alcohol consumption, NHS Confederation deputy policy director Jo Webber said it was up to society as a whole to address the problems of excessive drinking.
Commenting on the release of Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE) by the North West Public Health Observatory, Jo webber, deputy policy director of the NHS Confederation, which represents over 95 per cent of NHS organisations said:
„The NHS Confederation has argued in a report at the New Year that alcohol is causing a growing health problem in the UK, damaging lives as well as costing the health service billions. … (Source: Medical News Today, 9/02/10)