Big Alcohol Wins in California 2 to 1
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SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct. 3 2008 - Public health and safety scored a run, but lost the game to Big Alcohol with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s signature on three bills this past Tuesday.
Public health advocates scored with AB 346 authored by Jim Beall (D-San Jose). This alcopops labeling bill will help end confusion over whether or not the youth-targeted beverages contain alcohol. Labels on products such as Mike’s Hard Lemonade and Smirnoff Ice will now require the words “CONTAINS ALCOHOL” to be large and visible.
Big Alcohol, however, scored twice. AB 1245 (Torrico) sponsored by Anheuser-Busch allows the country’s largest beer producer to increase the value of its free promotional gifts by 1200 percent. AB 2293 (De Leon) sponsored by distilled spirits giant Diageo, allows large industry sponsored parties with unlimited free alcohol.
“We are glad the governor signed this first-ever bill to warn parents, retailers and enforcement about alcohol in alcopops,” said Michael Scippa, advocacy director for Marin Institute, the alcohol industry watchdog. “Unfortunately, it’s one step forward, two steps back when you factor-in the negative consequences of the industry sponsored bills that escaped veto.”
Marin Institute opposed both AB 1245 and AB 2293 because they reduce restrictions that are critical to controlling the epidemic of underage and binge drinking in California. According to a 2005 report, underage drinking costs the citizens of California $7.3 billion annually from problems such as youth violence, traffic crashes, injuries and other alcohol-related crimes.
“The industry slipped a ‘Mickey Finn’ to community leaders, advocates, and youth who have been working hard to reduce alcohol-related harms in California,” stated Bruce Livingston, executive director of Marin Institute. “I suppose if advocates had donated more than the $360,000 that the alcohol lobby gave the Governor in 2006, he might have vetoed the two industry sponsored bills.”
Marin Institute is an alcohol industry watchdog based in San Rafael, CA.
http://www.marininstitute.org.
Source: Marin Institute
CONTACT: Michael J. Scippa, +1-415-257-2490, or Jorge Castillo, +1-415
257-2488, both of Marin Institute
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