The Center for Alcohol Policy hosted its 10^th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference September 6 – 8, 2017, at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois. The conference was attended by a record-setting crowd with representation from 34 states and Washington, D.C. 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 current alcohol laws and challenges.

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The Center for Alcohol Policy announced that Kathie Durbin, chief of licensure, regulation and education at the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Liquor Control, is the recipient of the Fifth Annual Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award. The award, which recognizes a specific program, agency or person who oversees the alcohol industry and promotes public safety, was presented by the Center’s Advisory Council at the 10^th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference, in Chicago, Illinois, last week.

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According to a recently released national poll commissioned by the Center for Alcohol Policy, four-in-five Americans support individual states’ ability to regulate alcohol. The poll results also show that 93% of respondents believes drunk driving problems remain an extremely or very serious problem, a number surpassing concerns about opioid abuse which has dominated the nation’s headlines recently. Binge drinking and underage drinking are seen as  extremely to very serious problems, as well, at 78% and 73% respectively.

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Recent news reports indicate that several tourists and families travelling to all-inclusive resorts in Mexico suspect they were given tainted alcohol, which in some cases resulted in death. The reports underscore a stark contrast between alcohol regulation in Mexico and the United States, where state-based alcohol regulation and a three-tiered system of distribution provides a clear chain of custody and guards against tainted alcohol products reaching consumers.

A report by former Chief Counsel for the United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Robert M. Tobiassen, “The ‘Fake Alcohol’ Situation in the United States: The Impact of Culture, Market Economics, and the Current Regulatory Systems,” explains why there are few incidents of fake alcohol products in the United States. The study describes “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.”

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The Center for Alcohol Policy is accepting nominations for the Fifth Annual Leadership in Alcohol Regulation Award until July 21, 2017. The award will be presented at the Center’s 10^th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference, September 6 – 8 at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois.

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The Center for Alcohol Policy is now accepting entries for its 10^th Annual National Essay Contest. The topic for this year’s contest is:

The Supreme Court has recognized “temperance” as a permissible goal of state alcohol regulation. Define temperance as it would apply in today’s alcohol marketplace. Is it still relevant today? Should temperance still be recognized as a permissible goal of alcohol regulation?

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The Center for Alcohol Policy’s 10^th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference to be held September 6-8, 2017, at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois, will feature educational sessions addressing a variety of current alcohol policy issues. The sessions will be led by a wide range of experts, including legislators, educators, regulators, public health advocates and industry officials.

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Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt will deliver the keynote address at the Center for Alcohol Policy’s 10^th Annual Alcohol Law and Policy Conference on September 6 – 8, 2017, at the Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Illinois. This annual event brings together a wide range of experts in the field of alcohol law – including state regulators, attorneys general, legislators, public health leaders, educators and industry officials – to discuss current alcohol laws and policies.

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The Center for Alcohol Policy has unveiled a new video highlighting discussion and debate during the Pennsylvania Alcohol Policy Forum, held on March 22. The event, which took place in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, brought together more than 70 alcohol regulators, state lawmakers, legislative staff, public health representatives and industry members.

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This April, the Center for Alcohol Policy joins organizations across the country in recognizing Alcohol Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the problems that alcohol abuse can cause for individuals, their families and their communities.

“Alcohol Awareness Month is a great opportunity to educate policymakers, regulators and the public about alcohol, its uniqueness and its regulation – which aligns perfectly with the mission of the Center for Alcohol Policy,” said Jim Hall, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and current member of the Center’s Advisory Council.

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