Consumer convenience or collateral damage? Alcohol deregulation efforts at the state level

Alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. and contributes to 88,000 deaths annually (CDC, 2013). States bear costs from excessive alcohol consumption, with a range from $419.6 million (North Dakota) to $31.9 billion (California), and a median state cost of $2.9 billion, in 2006 (Bouchery et al 2013). As numerous reviews and meta-analyses have documented, evidence-based policies such as addressing the price, access, availability, and promotion of alcoholic beverages are fundamental to reducing alcohol-related harm and its associated costs. The safety and health of each state's residents depends on the adoption and implementation of effective alcohol regulations.

Despite the extensive evidence to support strong alcohol policy, and the alcohol-related costs burdening their states, legislators introduce numerous proposals each year to weaken or eliminate existing alcohol regulation and state control. Alcohol corporations and their trade groups lead these deregulatory efforts by lobbying, making campaign contributions, and posing as public health friends in PR campaigns. Legislation seeking to enact new or strengthen existing alcohol policies and regulations is rare, and hard-fought by industry as well.

Since 2009, we have tracked state legislative proposals concerning alcohol policy including alcohol taxes, access, outlet density, alcohol advertising, and privatization of state alcohol control. We will describe legislative proposals from 2009-2013 to weaken or eliminate, as well as those to strengthen or increase, state alcohol regulations, and their legislative outcomes. We will also present data on alcohol industry lobbying and contributions in those states, and groups behind the deregulatory proposals.