Last year, WASAVP was behind HB 2014 concerning liquor licensing fees. The bill would have increased liquor licensing fees and allocated some of the revenue to replace some of the funding that has been cut for prevention-intervention services in schools and the statewide community mobilization program.
The bill did not make it out of the House Ways & Means Committee but may still be alive for the upcoming legislative session. WASAVP is now asking prevention advocates to contact their state legislators and tell them about the bill. Advocates do not need to say that they are for or against the bill. Advocates may inform their Representatives of the bill's status and educate them about the importance of prevention-intervention services in schools and community mobilization in communities.
With the legislature and the Liquor Control Board re-vamping the liquor system in response to I-1183, this is an especially opportune time to advocate for changes to licensing fees.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Hearing to be held about expanding the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana
The Washington State Department of Health has announced that a committee of the Medical Quality Assurance Commission and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery will hold a hearing next month to consider adding Attention Deficit Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to the list of qualifying conditions. The hearing will take place:
January 11, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Seattle-Renton
One South Grady Way
Renton, WA
January 11, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Seattle-Renton
One South Grady Way
Renton, WA
I-1183 lawsuit moves forward
Yesterday, Judge Stephen Warning rejected WASAVP's request for a temporary halt to the implementation of Initiative 1183. Below is an excerpt from The Daily News story about the hearing:
The Washington Association for Substance and Violence Prevention, the initiative's primary opponent, on Dec. 7 filed for a temporary injunction to stop implementation of privatization, which is set to take effect June 1, 2012. A second plaintiff, Dave Grumbois of Longview, joined the suit because he owns the building that houses the state-run liquor store on Ocean Beach Highway. Grumbois said he fears he will lose a steady tenant.
Also joining the suit are two Red Apple grocery stores in Kitsap County. Store owners say liquor privatization will cause them to lose business to big retailers like Costco.
The group's attorney, Michael Subit of Seattle, filed a similar suit in King County earlier this month. He argues that I-1183 violates the state constitution because it addresses more than one subject in one measure. In this case, Subit said I-1183 forced the state out of the hard liquor business, changed distribution and price controls for wine and imposed fees for public safety.
A hearing is scheduled for March 5, 2012 regarding the merits of the lawsuit.
The Washington Association for Substance and Violence Prevention, the initiative's primary opponent, on Dec. 7 filed for a temporary injunction to stop implementation of privatization, which is set to take effect June 1, 2012. A second plaintiff, Dave Grumbois of Longview, joined the suit because he owns the building that houses the state-run liquor store on Ocean Beach Highway. Grumbois said he fears he will lose a steady tenant.
Also joining the suit are two Red Apple grocery stores in Kitsap County. Store owners say liquor privatization will cause them to lose business to big retailers like Costco.
The group's attorney, Michael Subit of Seattle, filed a similar suit in King County earlier this month. He argues that I-1183 violates the state constitution because it addresses more than one subject in one measure. In this case, Subit said I-1183 forced the state out of the hard liquor business, changed distribution and price controls for wine and imposed fees for public safety.
A hearing is scheduled for March 5, 2012 regarding the merits of the lawsuit.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
2012 legislative priorities
WASAVP's 2012 legislative priorities were posted earlier this month. Below is more information about these priorities.
1) Prevent liquor privatization and further deregulation.
Evidence from multiple studies indicates that the more stringent the regulations in a community, particularly the ones affecting availability and marketing, the lower the prevalence and frequency of adolescent alcohol consumption and the higher the age of first use.
While Washington State voters recently approved Initiative 1183 to privatize the sale of liquor and to remove important price regulations, there are still ways that the Liquor Control Board (LCB) can regulate alcohol to reduce access among adolescents. WASAVP will work with the LCB and the state legislature to ensure that regulations are instituted to protect public safety, especially the safety of the children in our state.
2) Support designation of all ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) fees and taxes going towards enforcement, prevention and treatment in communities, not into the general fund.
Evidence-based prevention, treatment, and enforcement of drug laws have proven to reduce underage drinking and drug use in communities. However, largely due to recent government budget reductions, many of these evidence-based practices have been eliminated.
At the same time, major changes to our state's drug and alcohol policies, which are proven methods for preventing substance abuse, have been eliminated or significantly changed. These changes have created an environment where youth may have more access to drugs and alcohol, resulting in harms such as increased driving under the influence, assaults, and barriers to learning.
WASAVP supports the designation of ATOD fees and taxes going towards enforcement, prevention and treatment as a way to mitigate the harms created by dismantling these systems and to reinstate funding for successful prevention activities.
3) Reclassify medical marijuana so that it may be regulated and sold in pharmacies like other prescription medications.
In 1998, Washington State voters approved the use of marijuana for certain medicinal purposes. While many prevention advocates do not agree with this legislation, it is law in Washington and WASAVP is committed to working towards preventing youth access to marijuana.
Currently, the regulation of medicinal marijuana is inadequate. Different communities have different laws and regulations concerning medicinal marijuana. In the communities where dispensaries are allowed to operate as businesses, there is little, if any, regulation of them. Like alcohol and prescription drugs, medicinal marijuana needs to be highly regulated to prevent youth access.
WASAVP supports the reclassification of marijuana so that it will be regulated like any other prescription medication and allowed to only be sold in pharmacies. Doing so will create a barrier to youth access.
4) Oppose state and federal budget cuts to community and school-based prevention programs.
Over the past few years, communities and schools have been hit hard by reductions in funding for evidence-based youth substance abuse and violence prevention programs. Evidence-based prevention programs are an important component of creating and sustaining safe and healthy communities. WASAVP opposes further cuts to prevention programs that reach all students and that support healthy youth development in communities.
Monitoring: WASAVP members identified the following issues to monitor during the 2012 legislative session.
• Healthy Youth Survey sustainability
• Prescription drug take-back program funded by pharmaceutical companies
• Marijuana legalization
• Social and emotional performance measures on the K-12 school report card
• School safety policy and funding
• School dropout prevention, intervention and re-engagement policy and funding
• Bullying prevention policy and funding
• Suicide prevention policy and funding
• Funding for school-based prevention-intervention specialists
• Statewide social host law
1) Prevent liquor privatization and further deregulation.
Evidence from multiple studies indicates that the more stringent the regulations in a community, particularly the ones affecting availability and marketing, the lower the prevalence and frequency of adolescent alcohol consumption and the higher the age of first use.
While Washington State voters recently approved Initiative 1183 to privatize the sale of liquor and to remove important price regulations, there are still ways that the Liquor Control Board (LCB) can regulate alcohol to reduce access among adolescents. WASAVP will work with the LCB and the state legislature to ensure that regulations are instituted to protect public safety, especially the safety of the children in our state.
2) Support designation of all ATOD (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) fees and taxes going towards enforcement, prevention and treatment in communities, not into the general fund.
Evidence-based prevention, treatment, and enforcement of drug laws have proven to reduce underage drinking and drug use in communities. However, largely due to recent government budget reductions, many of these evidence-based practices have been eliminated.
At the same time, major changes to our state's drug and alcohol policies, which are proven methods for preventing substance abuse, have been eliminated or significantly changed. These changes have created an environment where youth may have more access to drugs and alcohol, resulting in harms such as increased driving under the influence, assaults, and barriers to learning.
WASAVP supports the designation of ATOD fees and taxes going towards enforcement, prevention and treatment as a way to mitigate the harms created by dismantling these systems and to reinstate funding for successful prevention activities.
3) Reclassify medical marijuana so that it may be regulated and sold in pharmacies like other prescription medications.
In 1998, Washington State voters approved the use of marijuana for certain medicinal purposes. While many prevention advocates do not agree with this legislation, it is law in Washington and WASAVP is committed to working towards preventing youth access to marijuana.
Currently, the regulation of medicinal marijuana is inadequate. Different communities have different laws and regulations concerning medicinal marijuana. In the communities where dispensaries are allowed to operate as businesses, there is little, if any, regulation of them. Like alcohol and prescription drugs, medicinal marijuana needs to be highly regulated to prevent youth access.
WASAVP supports the reclassification of marijuana so that it will be regulated like any other prescription medication and allowed to only be sold in pharmacies. Doing so will create a barrier to youth access.
4) Oppose state and federal budget cuts to community and school-based prevention programs.
Over the past few years, communities and schools have been hit hard by reductions in funding for evidence-based youth substance abuse and violence prevention programs. Evidence-based prevention programs are an important component of creating and sustaining safe and healthy communities. WASAVP opposes further cuts to prevention programs that reach all students and that support healthy youth development in communities.
Monitoring: WASAVP members identified the following issues to monitor during the 2012 legislative session.
• Healthy Youth Survey sustainability
• Prescription drug take-back program funded by pharmaceutical companies
• Marijuana legalization
• Social and emotional performance measures on the K-12 school report card
• School safety policy and funding
• School dropout prevention, intervention and re-engagement policy and funding
• Bullying prevention policy and funding
• Suicide prevention policy and funding
• Funding for school-based prevention-intervention specialists
• Statewide social host law
Monday, December 12, 2011
WASAVP plaintiff in I-1183 lawsuit
On December 7, a lawsuit was filed in Cowlitz County against the State of Washington to prevent the implementation of Initiative 1183. WASAVP is one of three plaintiffs in this lawsuit. A similar lawsuit was filed in King County by unions.
The lawsuit charges that I-1183 violates provisions of the Washington State Constitution because it addresses more than one issue. I-1183 not only mandates the privatization of the sale and distribution of spirits/liquor by closing state stores and selling off the state's related assets, but it also drastically changes the laws regarding the distribution and sale of wine and alters the ability of the Liquor Control Board to regulate alcohol advertising. Among the many changes to be brought about are:
The lawsuit charges that I-1183 violates provisions of the Washington State Constitution because it addresses more than one issue. I-1183 not only mandates the privatization of the sale and distribution of spirits/liquor by closing state stores and selling off the state's related assets, but it also drastically changes the laws regarding the distribution and sale of wine and alters the ability of the Liquor Control Board to regulate alcohol advertising. Among the many changes to be brought about are:
- I-1183 orders the LCB to close all state liquor stores by June 1, 2012;
- I-1183 acts to deregulate the wholesale and retail sale of wine and liquor;
- I-1183 eliminates existing restrictions on liquor price advertising.
Friday, December 2, 2011
WASAVP identifies legislative priorities
After surveying WASAVP members, the WASAVP Board of Directors identified the following issues as top priorities for their work during the 2012 state legislative session.
1. Prevent liquor privatization and further deregulation.
2. Support designation of all ATOD fees and taxes to go toward enforcement, prevention and treatment in communities, not the general fund.
3. Reclassify medical marijuana so that it may be regulated and sold in pharmacies like other prescription medications.
4. Oppose state and federal budget cuts to community and school-based prevention programs.
The Board also identified issues that will be monitored.
1. Prevent liquor privatization and further deregulation.
2. Support designation of all ATOD fees and taxes to go toward enforcement, prevention and treatment in communities, not the general fund.
3. Reclassify medical marijuana so that it may be regulated and sold in pharmacies like other prescription medications.
4. Oppose state and federal budget cuts to community and school-based prevention programs.
The Board also identified issues that will be monitored.
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