Control state politics: Is Costco victory in Washington a wake-up call for public health?

State-based regulation of alcohol (guaranteed by the 21st Amendment) is critical to keeping underage drinking and adult over-consumption in check. Some powerful players in the alcohol industry are trying to undo decades of laws that were put into place after Prohibition for good reason: to protect public safety. Research shows states with government-run systems (control states) have lower rates of alcohol problems than those with privatized systems (license states). A big box retailer recently secured a huge victory in Washington State to privatize that state's control system. This loss is the first time any state has changed its control versus license status since Prohibition. Yet there has been little analysis by public health experts of the implications of such deregulation. This presentation will describe this dangerous trend and suggest counter-lobbying strategies to preserve effective state-based regulation of alcohol.