States Enact Significant Alcohol Policy Changes in 2009
The Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), a project by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, announces its latest update of state-by-state alcohol policies. The update reports developments in 29 current APIS policy topics, for the period 1/2/2009 through 1/1/2010.
There were 34 policy changes across the APIS topics during this reporting period including:
Underage Drinking
- Three States (Arkansas, Tennessee, and Utah) enacted new Prohibition against Hosting Underage Drinking Parties (social host) laws.
- Four States revised their "Use/Lose" laws, which penalize youth for using alcohol by imposing the loss of a young person's driver's license. Illinois and Utah made license sanctions mandatory; Maryland added consumption as a use/lose violation. Arkansas enacted a discretionary use/lose law for those under 18.
Alcohol Control Systems
- Alabama, Montana, and West Virginia enacted legislation that altered the availability of beer with high alcohol content in State-run and licensed establishments.
Health Insurance: Loss Due to Intoxication (UPPL Laws)
- Ohio and North Dakota enacted statutes that prohibit insurers from denying payment for insurance benefits for losses due to the intoxication of the insured.
Health Insurance Parity for Alcohol-Related Treatment
- Eight States revised their Health Insurance Parity laws. Five States (Kansas, Massachusetts, Washington, South Carolina, and West Virginia) enhanced their laws by adding mandates pertaining to various elements of coverage. Nevada and Arkansas eliminated their “must cover” and “must offer” mandates, respectively, while Alaska shifted from a “must cover” to “must offer” mandate.
Visit the APIS website to obtain details on these and other important policy developments across the country: http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/. Many of these changes are consistent with the goal of reducing underage drinking and its consequences as well as alcohol-related death and injury in the general population.