Wednesday, July 1, 2020 www.nabca.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS

• Iowa becomes first state to permanently allow cocktails to go • Colorado House delegation backs letter preserving lower taxes for alcohol • Nunavik police intercept bootlegged alcohol in transit • COVID-19 safety: Tips for leaving home to travel, visit restaurants and more • Legislative Update: DTC Efforts Paused by Pandemic • NCSLA Announces FY2021 Officers

NABCA News

NABCA launches a COVID-19 Resource page. It includes interactive dashboards which includes state actions to lessen the spread of COVID-19 and policy changes that effect on- and off-premise retail operations, as well as additional information. Visit NABCA’s website for more information

TTB NEWS

NEW COVID-19 PAGE ON TTB.GOV You can now find all TTB’s COVID-19-related news and guidance in a single location. Check the page frequently to find new or updated information to help you and your business respond to the COVID-19 national emergency. https://www.ttb.gov/coronavirus

NABCA WEBINAR

Women. Alcohol. Health. - From Blackouts to Breast Cancer. webinar is now available on our website. www.nabca.org/Resources/Webinars

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Beverage Alcohol Retailers Conference September 14-16, Austin, TX, Sheraton Capitol Click here for more details

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Visit NABCA’s website for information on:

• Control State Agency Information • Doing Business in Control States • NABCA News

CONTROL STATE NEWS

PA: PLCB reminds licensed liquor businesses to require masks, follow social distancing

WTAJ by Bill Shannon June 30, 2020

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board reminded licensed liquor establishments and their patrons to abide by social distancing and masking requirements to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

On June 17, the Wolf Administration issued updated guidance for businesses in the restaurant and retail food service industry as part of the commonwealth’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Among other requirements, all businesses and employees in the restaurant and retail food service industry authorized to conduct in-person activities are mandated to:

• Require all customers to wear masks while entering, exiting or otherwise traveling throughout the restaurant or retail food service business (face masks may be removed while seated). Further, employees are required to wear masks at all times.

• Provide at least six feet between parties at tables or physical barriers between customers where booths are arranged back to back.

• Ensure maximum occupancy limits for indoor and outdoor areas are posted and enforced.

On June 18, the PLCB issued guidance to licensed liquor establishments choosing to resume on-

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premises service of alcohol counties in the yellow and green phases of reopening. The guidance incorporated and reinforced the governor’s mandates, including those noted above.

“Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts have been among the most successful in the country in slowing the spread of this dangerous virus and allowing for the cautious reopening of restaurants and other licensed liquor establishments,” said PLCB Executive Director Charlie Mooney. “Just as the PLCB requires masks for employees and customers at our Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, licensees must remain vigilant in order to stay on the path to recovery and keep our businesses operating.”

A licensee that fails to comply with requirements mandating the wearing of masks, providing at least six feet between parties at tables, and ensuring that maximum occupancy limits are observed risks citation by the BLCE.

Penalties may be assessed for each violation and include a fine of up to $1,000 and possible suspension and/or revocation of the liquor license. Continued operation in violation of the guidance after a warning or citation risks further enforcement action by BLCE and ultimately puts the liquor license at risk, both through the citation process and upon application for renewal to the PLCB. Licensees are reminded that any person who violates the Liquor Code may be charged criminally with a misdemeanor.

Since mid-March BLCE officers have conducted compliance checks at over 15,100 licensed liquor establishments. Officers conduct an average of 1,500 compliance checks each day and have issued 162 warnings and 103 notices of violations to date.

Complaints regarding licensees not complying with COVID-19 mitigation mandates may be directed to the BLCE at 1-800-932-0602 or reported through the BLCE’s online complaint form.

UT: Face coverings now required at all state liquor stores

St. George News Written by Ryne Williams June 30, 2020

ST. GEORGE — When Gov. Gary Herbert announced last week that face coverings would be required in all

state-run facilities, the first thought was on higher-education buildings and places like the DMV. However, this mandate also requires face coverings to be worn in the state-run liquor stores.

“Yes, in all state buildings you need to have a face covering,” a liquor store employee told St. George News. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be a mask, just a face covering tied around that covers one’s nose and mouth.”

The requirement for face coverings went into effect on Monday, and the mandate will last until July 10. When asked about public response to the required face coverings, a liquor store employee said they have not had any issues so far.

Herbert focused on not only the idea of keeping social distance while outside but always wearing a face covering while indoors.

The mandate comes as COVID-19 cases are rising in the state. Southern Utah set a record for most cases in a single day on Sunday with 67 new infections. The state recorded 472 more cases that same day.

Herbert also said in his press conference last Wednesday that the state will not be granting any relaxation of regulations as a result of the increase in cases.

“In light of increases in cases, we will not be considering any application for relaxation for the next two weeks,” Herbert said. “Everybody is working in good faith. We need to unify our efforts. We as Utahns need to take responsibility and get on top of it so we can keep the economy open. We can turn it around just like we did at the beginning. I think the people of Utah will respond. I trust the people of Utah.”

NC: NC bars' latest dilemma: Whether to renew alcohol licenses while closed

Charlotte Business Journal By Erik Spanberg , Managing Editor June 30, 2020

Bob Durkin runs 10 bars and clubs in Charlotte, and, because of that, he has 10 decisions to make Tuesday: whether to renew state licenses for serving liquor, beer and wine.

Durkin’s plight is shared by bar owners and operators across North Carolina as June 30 is the deadline for

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renewing licenses. As with so many things at the moment, their quandary comes down to the usual suspect: Covid-19.

Restaurants, bars, hotels and others serving alcohol must renew their licenses annually. The deadline — with the exception of 2020 — is April 30.

This year, because of the pandemic and the ensuing shutdown that forced bars and restaurants to close in March, the state extended the deadline by two months to June 30. Most in the industry anticipated bars and restaurants would be getting back to normal by now — and everyone knows how that’s turned out.

“Bars have not been allowed to open,” said Durkin, president of locally based Bar Management Group. The company runs Whisky River, Suite and Rooftop 210, among other properties. “No one imagined (the pandemic) would go this long. Restaurants can pay but (bars) haven’t even opened.”

An executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper that began May 22 allowed restaurants to reopen for dine-in service at 50% capacity. Bars have remained closed, a move the governor and his administration have attributed to health experts’ belief that opening them would likely lead to community spread of the novel coronavirus. Breweries as well as wine and beer bottle shops have been allowed to reopen, including serving alcohol on-site.

State lawmakers passed a bill to reopen bars this month in defiance of Cooper’s executive order. Cooper vetoed the measure and the legislature failed to override his veto.

Jeff Strickland, a spokesman at the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Commission, told CBJ on Monday that, because the fiscal year ends June 30, the due date has not been extended.

“We’re limited because we’re a pass-through (organization),” he said.

Strickland said a bar that serves liquor, beer and wine would typically pay $1,800 to renew those licenses.

Durkin remains concerned about spending thousands of dollars on licenses when his businesses have gone months without revenue and have no guarantee on when they might be able to start welcoming customers again.

IA: Iowa becomes first state to permanently allow cocktails to go

The Hill By Alex Gangitano June 30, 2020

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R ) signed legislation Monday that permanently allows cocktails to go, making it the first state to keep a temporary measure put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill, which the Iowa state House and Senate passed earlier this month, will change the Iowa Code to allow bars to sell any alcohol beverages for takeout and delivery, The Des Moines Register reported. It makes permanent Reynolds’s proclamation when restaurants and bars closed this spring allowing people to take out cocktails for off-premise consumption.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) applauded the move, noting that Iowa’s hospitality businesses has suffered during the pandemic.

“Making cocktails to-go permanent provides a much-needed source of stability and revenue for local bars, restaurants and distilleries as they begin to recover,” Dale Szyndrowski, DISCUS vice president of state government relations, said in a press release. “Iowa is leading the way and serving as a model for other states looking for innovative ways to boost struggling hospitality businesses.”

More than 30 states and D.C. have allowed restaurants or bars to sell cocktails to go during restrictions due to the virus.

New York state led the charge in March, allowing restaurants to add beer, wine and spirits to takeout and delivery. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), along with several other governors, also deemed liquor stores “essential” businesses, allowing them to remain open.

Texas, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C. are now considering making temporary policies permanent, according to DISCUS.

The temporary policies led to Drizly, an alcohol delivery company, seeing huge growth during the pandemic.

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OR: Oregon’s Governor Faces Calls to Close Bars, Days After They Reopened For months, the reopening of bars and restaurants was held out as the key signal that the state was rebooting its economy.

Willamette Week By Aaron Mesh | By Rachel Monahan June 30, 2020

When the Old Gold resumed serving shots of W. L. Weller bourbon along North Killingsworth Street last weekend, no one stood in line at the bar.

Instead, patrons ordered pints and beer-battered cheese fries from their phones, using the Old Gold's mobile website. Servers then ferried meals and drinks to tables—four of them indoors, another dozen on the patio, and a beer garden rigged in a vacant gravel lot.

So it went, until last call at 9:30 pm: all part of Old Gold owner Ezra Ace Caraeff's plan to reopen his bar while keeping most patrons from entering the building for very long.

"We make sure people have to wear masks when they go inside, unless they're eating," Caraeff says, sitting beneath a canvas photo print of Dolly Parton. "But if they use the bathroom, they still have to wear a mask. And everyone did it."

Caraeff's elaborate system took weeks of planning. It's an implicit acknowledgment that drinking in a barroom is risky during a pandemic.

He knows his success may be fleeting. "We can do everything right," he says, "and another bar across town can do everything wrong, and that bar's impact is going to be far greater than ours."

But a continued spike in new COVID-19 cases could force Gov. Kate Brown to follow the lead of other states and close businesses like the Old Gold.

Portland bars and restaurants were among the last businesses in the state allowed to reopen. They could also be the first to close if COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Multnomah County.

On June 29, Gov. Brown warned she would issue last call if people didn't obey her statewide directive to wear masks.

"I do not want to have to close down businesses again like other states are now doing," Brown said, in one of her most pointed remarks since the pandemic

began. "If you want your local shops and restaurants to stay open, then wear a face covering when out in public."

Her threat highlights just how tenuous Oregon's return from lockdown is. For months, the reopening of bars and restaurants was held out as the key signal that the state was rebooting its economy and social customs after months of hunkering down. But the same elements that make bars so attractive also make them dangerous: People sit close to each other, remove their masks to drink, and feel the glow of intoxication.

Some experts now warn Brown that social drinking must remain an outdoor pastime—if it can resume at all.

LICENSE STATE NEWS

CO: Colorado House delegation backs letter preserving lower taxes for alcohol

Colorado Politics By Joey Bunch June 30, 2020

In these fractious times, Republicans and Democrats appear to be united on one thing: lower taxes on alcohol.

Colorado's House delegation is part of a bipartisan letter with 136 other members formally asking leaders in both parties to allow a vote on permanently preserving tax breaks for craft beer, wine and liquor, as the nation staggers to its feet after the COVID-19 economic shutdown.

“Colorado and craft beverages go hand-in-hand. Our craft breweries, distilleries, and cideries help fuel tourism, employ thousands of Coloradans, and serve as community hubs," Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Aurora said in a statement Tuesday morning. "But the public health and economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus is putting many of these businesses at risk. This relief effort will give craft beverage producers the help they need to stay afloat and continue to be an essential part of our community.”

The request is also sponsored by fellow Democratic Reps. Diana DeGette of Denver, Joe Neguse of Boulder County and Ed Perlmutter or Arvada, with Republican Reps. Ken Buck of Windsor, Doug

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Lamborn of Colorado Springs and Scott Tipton of Cortez.

You can read the letter by clicking here.

H.R. 1175, the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, would preserve the federal excise tax at $3.50 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels for domestic brewers who yield fewer than 2 million barrels a year, which is half the rate imposed before 2017. The bill also locks in a $16 a barrel rate on the first 6 million barrels for all other brewers and importers. The current rate is $18 a barrel.

The tax relief also covers transfers between breweries and expanding the list of ingredients for fermented drinks.

The break was originally for two years as part of Republicans' Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, then it was and was extended for one year by President Trump last December.

Not everyone is raising a class, however. Last September, the Brookings Institute think tank noted:

"A loophole in the Act allows large producers of distilled spirits to ship their product tax free through smaller firms, importers, or even shell company intermediaries, allowing them to claim the lower tax rate that was supposed to be reserved for small, craft businesses. According to estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation, updated to reflect what they’ve learned from the tax cut’s first-year impacts, most of the $1.2 billion cost of a one-year extension of the bill is associated with producers of distilled spirits who use this loophole, rather than true craft distillers, or beer and wine producers of any size."

Crow's office on Tuesday provided statements from trade associations and others who would benefit from the lowered taxes.

“As a local, independently owned craft brewery, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been substantial on our business," stated Kevin Delange, co-owner of Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora. "We’ve had to close both of our tasting rooms and all bars and restaurants and as a result had to destroy a lot of beer that had become expired. Passage of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act will enable us to continue to keep our staffing levels and will help us recover from the devastating economic impact of the pandemic.”

FL: Bars suing state for coronavirus restrictions

Fox 29 WFLX June 30, 2020

A Treasure Coast attorney is filing lawsuits for at least half a dozen bars that have been impacted by the state's COVID-19 restrictions on alcohol sales.

Attorney Travis R. Walker said he is representing the bars for free.

"We believe the shutdown is arbitrary and singles out bar owners in a discriminatory fashion," Walker said. "This is no longer going to be acceptable to these business owners."

Walker said local bars are losing potentially thousands of dollars each day that they can't sell alcohol.

Friday, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation suspended on-premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.

Bars can continue to serve alcohol in sealed containers for consumption offsite. Restaurants can still serve alcohol, so long as less than 50% of their revenue comes from alcohol sales.

The lawsuits will be filed against the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Walker argues the agency is overstepping.

"This is the kind of case we go to law school for, where the little guy is getting beat down," Walker said.

Some of the lawsuits could be worth six or even seven figures depending on the losses the businesses experience, Walker believes. There have been weeks of lost income, lost tips and inventory that has gone to waste as bars have had to close twice during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I think the government in their good intent is trying to protect citizens, but they're doing it in an arbitrary way and they're doing it in a knee-jerk reaction," Walker argued.

He does not feel there is evidence strong enough to support that bars are spreading COVID-19 more than any other business or activity.

"There are just as many people at protests or at the beach," Walker said. "There are all of these different places people are congregating and not doing social

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distancing, yet the bars are the ones who are having to pay."

Gov. Ron DeSantis said cases in Florida are increasing among the younger generations, which DeSantis said could be the result of too many bars statewide not following social distancing guidelines.

"Do we believe there's police power for the state? Sure," Walker said. "But you can't do it arbitrarily and you can't close down businesses just because you want to and you have a stigma against bars."

Walker is currently drafting the lawsuits and intends to file them by the end of the week.

TX: Group Of Texas Bar Owners Sues To Reopen Amid Pandemic

KERA News By Associated Press June 30, 2020

A group of Texas bar owners filed lawsuits Monday seeking to overturn Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that closed their businesses to help contain the spread of the coronavirus in Texas.

Abbott has pinpointed the re-opening of bars last month as one of the sources behind a dramatic spike in new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations that has made Texas a national hotspot in a virus resurgence.

On Monday, Texas reported that it had a record high for the state of 5,913 COVID-19 hospital patients, including a one-day increase of 416 new patients.

The state also reported 4,288 additional confirmed cases, which was the first time the daily count dipped below 5,000 in a week. The true number is likely much higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected and not feel sick.

The lawsuits filed in Austin, Houston and Galveston allege Abbott doesn’t have the authority under the state constitution to make such an order, and that it targets bars while allowing other establishments, such as hair and nail salons and tattoo studios to remain open.

Abbott’s order shuttered establishments that make at least 51 percent of their revenue from alcohol sales. It also trimmed restaurant dining capacity from 75 percent to 50 percent.”

The bar owners say Abbott should bring the Legislature into a special session to address the issue.

“Gov. Abbott continues to act like a king,” said Jared Woodfill, attorney for the bar owners. “Abbott is unilaterally destroying our economy and trampling on our constitutional rights.”

A spokesman for Abbott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission said agents visited nearly 1,500 business across the state over the weekend to ensure compliance with Abbott’s order and found that 59 were still open. Of those, most agreed to immediately close and seven who didn’t had their licenses suspended for 30 days.

In Houston, Fire Chief Samuel Peña said the city responded to more than 300 complaints about bars and clubs that were open and restaurants that were exceeding capacity limits.

Also Monday, the University of Texas released new plans for its fall semester return-to-school for the 50,000-student campus. They include a mandatory mask policy inside campus buildings, the same tuition rate for online or in-person classes, and plans for double-occupancy in most dorm rooms.

The virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks in most people. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Canada: Nunavik police intercept bootlegged alcohol in transit KRPF says it seized $29,000 worth of vodka

Nunatsiaq News June 30, 2020

Nunavik police seized a shipment of bootlegged alcohol in Puvirnituq this week.

The Kativik Regional Police Force said it received a tip about a suspected shipment of multiple parcels that recently arrived in the Hudson coast community. On June 29, officers executed a search warrant that led them to parcels containing 193 bottles of liquor, the KRPF said in a news release on Tuesday, June 30.

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An estimated $29,000 worth of vodka was destined for individuals in both Ivujivik and Salluit, the police said.

But the KRPF has yet to make any arrests in connection to the bootlegged booze. The police said the investigation is ongoing.

With direct flights from Montreal, Puvirnituq has long been a hub for bootlegged alcohol destined for other communities along Nunavik’s Hudson coast.

The KRPF encourage Nunavimmiut to report the illegal sale of alcohol directly to their local detachment or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-711-1800. Some information may qualify for a reward of up to $2,000.

PUBLIC HEALTH NEWS

COVID-19 safety: Tips for leaving home to travel, visit restaurants and more

Medical Xpress from Mayo Clinic News Network, Mayo Clinic News Network June 30, 2020

If coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) stay-at-home restrictions are easing in your community, you might wonder how to visit public places and protect your health. Here's what you need to know.

Before you head out

Follow guidance where you live. In the U.S., activity restrictions vary among cities and states. Before you head out, check your city or state health department's website for information about local restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The best way to protect yourself from the COVID-19 virus is to avoid exposure. If you go out, wear a cloth face covering. Keep a distance of about 6 feet (2 meters) from others if the COVID-19 virus is spreading in your community, especially if you have a higher risk of serious illness. Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick or has symptoms. Also, avoid large events and mass gatherings.

In addition, practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze and

then wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. Also, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

If you feel sick, stay home. Don't visit public areas unless you're going to get medical care. Avoid taking public transportation if you're sick.

And if you're at higher risk of serious illness, don't head out into the community just yet. It's safer to stay home. If other members of your household return to work or visit places where social distancing isn't possible, it's recommended that they isolate themselves from you.

Safety tips for public places

Beyond taking general precautions to prevent COVID-19, consider specific safety tips for visiting different public places.

Traveling

Before traveling check the websites of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for health advisories and self-quarantine requirements. Consider checking the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's website and your airline's website for additional guidance.

Consider the risks associated with different types of travel. There might be a risk of getting the COVID-19 virus on a crowded flight if other travelers on board are infected. On a bus or train, sitting or standing within 6 feet (2 meters) of others for a prolonged period can put you at risk of getting or spreading the COVID-19 virus. Traveling by car or recreational vehicle often involves stops that could put you in close contact with infected people.

If you're planning on booking a hotel room, check the hotel's website to learn about precautions being taken and if amenities, such as the gym or restaurant, will be open. Bring cleaning supplies with you. When you get to your room, disinfect all high-touch surfaces, such as light switches, sink faucet handles, door knobs and the remote control. Wash plates, cups or silverware (other than pre-wrapped plastic) before using. Also, confirm the hotel's cancellation policy before making a booking.

Restaurants

Before you eat at a restaurant, check the restaurant's safety practices. Are the employees wearing cloth face coverings, regularly disinfecting high-touch

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surfaces and practicing social distancing? Is there good ventilation? Are tables set far enough apart from each other to allow for social distancing? Is the menu digital or disposable?

Ideally, the restaurant won't offer salad bars, buffets and drink-filling stations that require people to use common utensils or dispensers. If you need to wait in line for service, maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters) from others. If possible, use touchless payment.

When ordering takeout, try to pay online or over the phone to limit contact with others. If you're having food delivered, ask for it to be left outside your home in a safe spot, such as the porch or your building's lobby. Otherwise, stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from the delivery person. If you're picking up your food at the restaurant, maintain social distancing while waiting in the pickup zone. After bringing home your food, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.

Places of worship

Before going to a place of worship, check to see if the size of gatherings is being limited and how that might affect your visit. Seek out services held in large, well-ventilated areas. Continue social distancing during services.

Also, avoid contact with frequently touched items, such as books. Place any donations in a stationary collection box. If food is offered at an event, look for pre-packaged options.

Gyms

Before going to the gym, call to see if it's limiting how many members are allowed in at the same time. You might have to reserve a block of time in advance, with staff cleaning the facility between blocks. Ask about the facility's cleaning and disinfecting policies and whether you'll be able to use the locker room or bathroom. If you are interested in group exercise classes, ask if they are being offered.

Your gym will likely enforce social distancing by blocking access to every other cardio machine. Follow the gym's guidelines and stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from other members. Clean equipment before and after using it. Some equipment that's difficult to clean, such as foam rollers and yoga blocks, might not be available.

If you're at higher risk of serious illness, you might consider waiting to return to the gym. Ask if your gym offers virtual classes or training.

Salons

When making your appointment, ask about safety measures. You might be required to attend your appointment alone, wash your hair at home to reduce traffic near the shampoo area, and wait in your car or outside until your appointment begins. In addition, you might ask whether the salon is offering blow drying. Eliminating blow drying could reduce the spread of germs.

Ideally, the salon will stagger appointments to limit how many people are in the facility at the same time. You might ask about the salon's disinfecting practices. Is the staff regularly wiping down high-touch surfaces? Are chairs and headrests disinfected after they are used? Is the staff wearing cloth face coverings and regularly washing their hands? Are they wearing single-use gloves for nail and facial work? Also, look for touchless payment options.

Grocery stores

Before going to get your groceries, consider visiting the chain's website to check on the precautions being taken. For smaller businesses, call the store.

To make social distancing easy, visit the grocery store early in the morning or late at night, when the store might be less crowded. If you're at higher risk of serious illness, find out if the store has special hours for people in your situation and shop during these times. You might also consider ordering your groceries online for home delivery or curbside pickup.

At the store, disinfect the handle of the shopping cart or basket. Stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) away from others while shopping and in lines. If possible, pay without touching money or a keypad or use hand sanitizer after paying. Also, apply hand sanitizer after you leave the store. When you get home, wash your hands.

Health benefits of different alcoholic drinks

MDLinx By John Murphy June 30, 2020

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Have you heard this news through the grapevine? Researchers have just reported that light to moderate drinking may preserve brain function in older age, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.

Drinking alcohol has its downsides, but it also has some health benefits.

When compared with non-drinkers, middle-aged and older adults who had a drink or two a day tended to score better on cognitive tests for mental status, word recall, and vocabulary. Daily tipplers also had lower rates of decline in each of these cognitive domains compared with teetotalers. (The optimal amount was between 10 and 14 drinks per week.)

These results, however, don’t imply that those who drink less should start indulging more, according to lead author Ruiyuan Zhang, MD, a PhD student at the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health.

“It is hard to say this effect is causal,” he added, noting that it was an observational study. “So, if some people don’t drink alcoholic beverages, this study does not encourage them to drink to prevent cognitive function decline.”

But, there are many alcoholic drinks to choose from. Do they all have health benefits?

Beer

In medieval Europe, the water wasn’t always safe to drink. But beer (which is boiled during the brewing process, killing off many dangerous microbes) was considered a healthy and nutritious beverage.

In moderation, beer still is something of a healthy beverage. For instance, drinking beer is associated with fewer cardiovascular events. In one meta-analysis, researchers found that drinking a moderate amount of about two 12-oz glasses of beer per day (between 25 g and 43 g of alcohol per day) significantly reduced vascular risk. In fact, these moderate beer drinkers had lower vascular risk than both heavier drinkers and abstainers.

Beer also improves cholesterol levels. In a recently published comprehensive meta-analysis, researchers reported that moderate beer consumption significantly increased HDL cholesterol levels and also improved blood vessel elasticity.

What’s the ingredient in beer that provides these health-giving properties? Researchers still aren’t

sure, but the malted beverage has alcohol, polyphenols, and other compounds specific to beer (some of which are derived from hops and yeast). “Indeed, a hypothetical beneficial effect could be due to the action of either alcohol or polyphenols alone or a synergic effect of both,” wrote the authors of the latter meta-analysis.

Notably, xanthohumol, a polyphenol found in hops, has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect against oxidative-stress–induced neuronal cell damage, which could potentially slow the development of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.

Champagne

Speaking of phenolic compounds that go straight to your head, let’s talk Champagne.

The bubbly beverage contains specific phenolic compounds that may counteract the memory loss associated with aging as well as help to slow the onset of neurodegenerative brain disorders such as dementia. Researchers have shown that drinking as few as one to three glasses of Champagne per week can improve spatial memory.

“Changes in spatial working memory induced by the Champagne supplementation are linked to the effects of absorbed phenolics on cytoskeletal proteins, neurotrophin expression, and the effects of alcohol on the regulation of apoptotic events in the hippocampus and cortex,” the researchers wrote.

The same researchers had previously found that Champagne could be good for cardiovascular health. Drinking around two glasses of champagne per day can have beneficial effects on vascular function—similar to that of red wine—and potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke.

Red wine

Did someone mention red wine? The beverage of Bacchus has a bevy of health benefits.

Red wine appears to be cardioprotective. In the Copenhagen City Heart Study, which involved more than 13,000 adults who were followed over a 12-year period, people who drank 3-5 glasses of wine a day had half the risk of dying from coronary heart disease or stroke as those who never drank wine.

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Red wine can also improve cholesterol levels. Several studies have shown that people who drink wine in moderation have improved HDL cholesterol and, in some cases, lower LDL cholesterol levels. This effect has been studied in a variety of populations, including postmenopausal women and patients who’ve had carotid arteriosclerosis or heart attack.

Red wine may also slow cognitive decline. Researchers have linked moderate consumption of red wine to a lower risk for dementia. (White wine may also protect against cognitive decline, among its other benefits.)

Red wine is also good for your gut. In a recent study published in Gastroenterology, researchers showed people who drank wine had increased microbial diversity in their gut microbiome. Even drinking wine on rare occasions helped increase the diversity of gut bacteria. Some of those who drank wine also tended to have lower BMI, possibly explained in part by the changes in gut bacteria, the researchers speculated.

Last but not least, a study following over 5,000 men and women found that drinking 2-7 glasses of wine per week was associated with lower rates of depression.

What explains red wine’s health benefits? You’ve probably heard of resveratrol, a polyphenol with antioxidant properties found in the skin of grapes. But, red wine also has several other polyphenols—like ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin, tannin, and others—that may produce these benefits (possibly in conjunction with alcohol).

Whiskey

Mention the words “ellagic acid” and “alcohol,” and you might think of whiskey instead of wine. And with good reason. “Single malt whiskies have more ellagic acid than red wine,” a whiskey expert once pronounced. Research suggests that ellagic acid, in particular, has preventive effects against several types of cancer.

While it remains to be verified that whiskey has more of this polyphenol than wine, researchers have shown that whiskey has a higher concentration of ellagic acid than most distilled spirits.

Ellagic acid and other polyphenols found in barrel-aged whiskey—including gallic acid and lyoniresinol—are scavengers of reactive oxygen species. In fact, the longer the whiskey was aged in

the barrel, the higher was its reactive oxygen scavenging activity, researchers found.

One daily drink of whiskey (or other hard liquor) may also have a beneficial effect on the heart. In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, researchers found that having one alcoholic drink a day was associated with a lower risk of heart failure, and this was independent of risk reductions for coronary artery disease or heart attack.

Cheers to your health!

Given all the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, is it time to raise a glass to your health?

“[I]t seems premature to advise people who do not drink to start drinking, since the risk of addiction is far from being negligible (it is estimated to be 13% in mature adults),” concluded the researchers who studied wine’s effect on dementia.

“Alcohol consumption should remain a pleasure and should not be considered as a medication,” they advised.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Report: Covid-19’s Direct Toll on California Wine Industry at $4.21 Billion

The Business Journal By the Business Journal Staff June 30, 2020

A new report pegs Covid-19-related losses to California’s wine industry at $4.21 billion, equating to the direct and induced loss of 42,376 jobs.

The report, completed by the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University, estimates a $5.9 billion revenue loss for the entire U.S. wine industry this year. Using a revenue multiplier of 2.28, the total loss to California’s economy is estimated at $9.6 billion in business revenues.

The direct $4.21 billion loss may also generate a tax loss of $586 million for state and local government this year, according to the report.

In terms of direct impact, that figure is spread to an estimated $2.8 billion impact to wineries, $1.26 billion for vineyards and $154.4 million for on-premises and off-premise sales.

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“The impact of COVID-19 on the wine industry will ripple through all parts of the economy,” according to the report. “Beyond lost jobs and business revenues, state and local governments will see impacts to their budgets and the services that they can provide to citizens.”

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Announces Departure of Executive Vice President of Emerging Spirits Brands, Rudy Ruiz, to Join Park Street

News Release Business Wire June 30, 2020

MIAMI & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (“Southern Glazer’s”)—the world's pre-eminent distributor of beverage alcohol—today announced that Rudy Ruiz, Executive Vice President of Emerging Spirits Brands, will be leaving the Company, effective July 3, 2020, to join industry innovator Park Street. During his 17-year tenure with Southern Glazer’s, Mr. Ruiz was responsible for curating and growing the Company’s portfolio of craft spirits and emerging brands. Following Mr. Ruiz’s departure, his duties will be assumed by Ray Lombard, Executive Vice President of Supplier Management & Business Development.

“We brought Rudy into our organization because we knew his experience and expertise in brand building would provide great value to our suppliers,” commented Harvey Chaplin, Chairman, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. “We truly wish him all the best in his new endeavors and are confident he will continue to make a positive impact in our industry.”

Added Wayne E. Chaplin, Chief Executive Officer, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, “Rudy’s commitment to craft and brand innovation has helped us bring commercial success to many emerging spirits brands and we look forward to building on the excellent foundation that he established during his career with the Company.”

“I’d like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Chaplins and all of Southern Glazer’s,” says Mr. Ruiz. “My time at the Company was tremendously fulfilling, and I value the many long term relationships I’ve developed along the way. I look forward to continuing to promote innovation in the industry at Park Street.”

Mr. Ruiz originally joined Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in 2003 after nearly 25 years in senior leadership roles with Bacardi USA. At Bacardi, Mr. Ruiz' positions included President and CEO of Bacardi Asia/Pacific, President of Bacardi Global Brands, and President and CEO of Bacardi USA.

Legislative Update: DTC Efforts Paused by Pandemic

Wine Business.com by Andrew Adams June 30, 2020

The list of states still closed to winery direct-to-consumer shipments has dwindled to just four — Utah, Delaware, Alabama and Mississippi — but efforts to open those hit a novel roadblock this year as state capitols were shut down during the initial closures related to the ongoing pandemic.

In his annual update on efforts by himself and other lobbyists working for Wine Institute to pass or change laws to allow DTC shipments, Steve Gross

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said he and his team ran bills in the four remaining states only to see the legislation stall or die because of the shutdowns or as legislators had to turn to more pressing matters.

In Mississippi, Gross was disappointed to report that legislators there opted not to consider a Wine Institute backed bill but instead passed what he called a “special order” law that allows wineries to ship to consumer through a complex, inefficient and expensive process.

He said consumers will have to order through one of the state’s wholesale package store retailers that are responsible for taxes and retail markups and can charge the consumer a service fee. The consumer would also have to pick up at the retailer and total shipments are limited to 10 cases per year.

Special order is not DTC

Gross said state lawmakers called the bill, which awaits the governor’s signature, as a first-step toward DTC. “We don’t really agree,” he said.

The update came during a virtual summit held by SOVOS ShipCompliant. In previous years, the event has been held in Napa, Calif., where Gross has often joked that he’ll be able to retire (he started working on DTC laws in 1986) when he opens up Utah.

While Utah lawmakers did approve a law that allows for some winery shipments, “I still can’t retire because I don’t think this is direct shipping either.”

Gross said the new law is really a special-order allowance similar to Mississippi’s new law. In Utah, consumers are required to sign up to a wine subscription service through one of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (DABC) stores. The DABC then will contact the winery to arrange a shipment to a state warehouse, which collects an 88% mark up and changes a handling fee before shipping to a designated state store for consumer pickup. “The logistics of this, we think, are unworkable,” he said.

A DTC bill that would have replaced an onerous special-order provision in Alabama did make it to a second reading in March but the legislative session ended soon after. Gross said he’s still waiting to see if a DtC bill in Delaware will move forward.

He was happy to report that Kentucky replaced a law that had been billed as a DTC law but really was not ideal and had been opposed by the Wine Institute.

Out-of-state wineries can now ship Kentucky consumers up to 10 cases per month after securing a $100 permit.

Removing capacity caps, ‘wholesaler’ exclusion

Gross said work also continues on lifting prohibitions on wineries that produce more than 250,000 gallons making shipments to residents in New Jersey and Ohio.

He said Free the Grapes has begun a campaign in New Jersey and Gross called on any people in the online audience who worked for wineries that either had production grow past the limit or where acquired by a larger company thus closing New Jersey to shipments to rally their customers to contact lawmakers. “We would love to work with you to have you contact your former patrons and customers in New Jersey because they are the best advocates,” he said.

Wine Institute also continues to try and repeal the “wholesaler exclusion” law in Indiana where any winery with an in-state wholesaler is barred from shipping wine to consumers. Gross said he’s run multiple bills to get this changed and he was optimistic this year only to see the session adjourn with lawmakers not addressing any policy bills.

Gross also stressed that age verification in deliveries is receiving heightened attention by regulatory agencies across the U.S. and that regulators are also ramping up efforts to ensure all shipping laws and regulations are being followed. This includes greater scrutiny on third-party fulfillment companies which are being subject to more regulations in a greater number of states.

New York has aggressively investigated shipments by retailers, Texas has launched a new audit program for DTC shipments, Michigan is also taking steps to ensure all shipments are made by the producer and Virginia has doubled the cost of its permit to fund additional staff to conduct audits and ensure compliance.

“We’re victims of our own success,” Gross said noting winery shipments were worth $3.2 billion in 2019 and when state officials see a number that big, they want to make sure they’re getting what they’re due.

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Mothers Against Drunk Driving Urges Safety During Upcoming July 4th Holiday Plan Ahead for a Non-Drinking Driver Before the Celebration Begins

News Release Washington (PRWEB) June 30, 2020

Long holiday weekends can be dangerous on America’s roads, and July 4th and the days surrounding the national holiday are among the deadliest for drunk driving. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) urges everyone to celebrate safely by planning ahead and designating a non-drinking driver if plans include alcohol.

More people die in drunk driving crashes in July than any other month, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The July 4th holiday is particularly deadly. In 2018, 193 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes over the July 4th holiday period (6 p.m. July 3 to 5:59 a.m. July 5). Forty percent (78) of those fatalities occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. This compares to 2017 when 38% of the July 4 holiday period fatalities occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. From 2014 to 2018, 812 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes over those 36-hours.

“As we celebrate Independence Day, we want to make sure we keep ourselves and our families safe,” said MADD National President Helen Witty. “A long holiday weekend can bring more traffic and more risk on our roads, especially this year, when so many of us have refrained from traveling for months. We want everyone to enjoy the holiday, just remember to designate a non-drinking driver every time plans include alcohol.”

According to NHTSA, nighttime hours are especially dangerous. Over the 2018 July 4th holiday period, of the 78 people who died in alcohol-impaired motor vehicle traffic crashes, all but 9 of them occurred at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.).

Drunk driving is the leading killer on America’s roads, accounting for one-third of all traffic deaths and claiming the lives of more than 10,000 people every year.

Someone dies in a drunk driving crash every 50 minutes in the U.S., yet these senseless deaths are 100 percent preventable, 100 percent of the time. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving is

helping create a future with No More Victims®. The campaign includes advocacy for stronger drunk driving laws including ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders, support for high-visibility law enforcement, support for advanced drunk driving prevention technology in all cars and public support for these initiatives.

MADD reminds everyone to take personal responsibility every day by using taxis, public transportation, rideshare services or calling a non-drinking friend if their plans include alcohol.

NCSLA Announces FY2021 Officers

News Release National Conference of State Liquor Administrators, Inc. June 30, 2020

The National Conference of State Liquor Administrators, Incorporated (NCSLA) is pleased to announce its Executive Committee for fiscal year July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021. The officers and regional chairpersons elected at the NCSLA virtual annual business meeting on June 16, 2020 are:

• President - Anna Hirai of Hawaii (City and County of Honolulu)

• 1st Vice President - Thomas Philpot of Florida

• 2nd Vice President - Stephanie Strauss of Iowa

• 3rd Vice President - Travis Hill of Virginia

• Immediate Past President - Jeffrey Kelly of Maryland

• Northern Region - Jenna Giguere of Rhode Island, Chair; Rodrigo Diaz of Pennsylvania, Vice Chair

• Central Region - Debbi Beavers of Kansas, Chair; Dorothy Taylor of Missouri, Vice Chair

• Western Region - Steven Marks of Oregon, Chair; John Cocca of Arizona, Vice Chair

• Southern Region - Steven Barker of Oklahoma, Chair; Stephen Humphress of Kentucky, Vice Chair.

The two associate member representatives are Carrie Bonnington with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in Sacramento, California and Kimberly Frost with Martin, Frost & Hill, P.C. in Austin, Texas.

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Anna C. Hirai is the Assistant Administrator at the Honolulu Liquor Commission. She has been with the Commission since 1997, first as Adjudications Deputy Corporation Counsel, then in various capacities to include Special Assistant to the Administrator, Assistant Administrator, and Acting Administrator. Previously, she was in private practice in Honolulu, Hawaii (corporate, healthcare & real estate) and Little Rock, Arkansas (securities regulation & corporate finance). She has been a member of the Hawaii Bar since 1981 and the Arkansas Bar since 1984.

Anna graduated from Punahou School (1973); Georgetown University (1977; A.B. American Studies); and Boston College Law School (1981). Born and raised in Honolulu, she returned as an empty-nester after a 25-year hiatus. Her first exposure to NCSLA was attending the 2001 annual conference at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui, and she led the host team that brought NCSLA back to Hawaii in 2013 at the Sheraton Waikiki, Honolulu. She has served on the executive committee representing the Western Region states since 2013.

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