Ohio Protects Three-Tier System;
A-B InBev Publicly Demands More Legislative Influence
Ohio's Governor Kasich signed Senate Bill 48 into law on April 30. The new law limits beer brewers from moving into the distributor business, thus protecting the three-tiered system of alcohol manufacturing, distribution, and sales in the state. Needless to say, the measure does not have the support of beer conglomerate Anheuser-Busch InBev, whose lobbyists cried foul and demanded meetings with legislators to complain after the bill had already passed. In a public statement, an A-B InBev rep said that they “remain concerned about the manner in which this…was introduced and passed.” Despite A-B InBev's big budget line for lobbying and political contributions, and complaints sounding remarkably close to whining about how much control Big Beer didn't have over the legislative process this time, Ohio lawmakers went with what was best for the public good.Wyoming Study: Cost of Alcohol-Related Harm Tops $843 Million
The Wyoming Department of Health and the University of Wyoming teamed up to conduct and publish a study of the economic costs of substance abuse in the state. Alcohol-related harm constituted the largest percentage of the burden, accounting for over $843 million in economic costs in 2010, of which $589 million was attributed to productivity losses, $206.2 million to health care costs, $30.4 million to crime-related costs, and $17.4 million to other costs like motor vehicle crashes. The full study is available for download here.
Ireland: Doctors Demand Ban on Sports Sponsorship by Alcohol Industry
In Ireland, a group of doctors is demanding a ban on alcohol sponsorships of sporting events, warning that alcohol companies are “grooming child drinkers.” Dr. William Flannery of the College Psychiatrists of Ireland (CPI) presented to the Oireachtas Transportat and Communications Committee about the link between alcohol sponsorship and the early onset of alcohol abuse, as well as the resulting myriad of alcohol-related complications. And yet, according to Dr. Flannery, sporting bodies are “in the pocket” of the alcohol industry, despite there being “no product on the planet that could cause more harm.” The CPI is calling for a total ban on alcohol sponsorship in sports. For more on the dangers of alcohol marketing and youth, click here.-
Ohio Protects Three-Tier System, Makes A-B InBev Upset
-
Wyoming Study: Cost of Alcohol-Related Harm Tops $843 Million
-
Ireland: Doctors Demand Ban on Alcohol Sponsorship of Sports
