24/7 OPENINGS PANACEA OR

CURSE?Pamela S. Erickson, President/CEO

Public Action Management

Former Director, Oregon Liquor Control Commission

www.healthyalcoholmarket.com

WHY HAVE CLOSING HOURS? Reduce behavior

associated with intoxication.

Keep the peace…reduce noise.

Reduce law enforcement costs.

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY ABOUT CLOSING HOURS?

“The Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommends maintaining limits on hours of sale in on-premises settings, based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness for reducing excessive alcohol consumption and related harms.”

No studies of sales in off-premise settings. Insufficient evidence for extension of less than two hours.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

www.thecommunityguide.org

WHAT’S THE PRACTICE IN CLOSING HOURS?

Closing hours are common around the world and in the US. Stricter closing hours tend to prevail in Northern countries where consumption is higher.

US CLOSING HOUR PRACTICES

Most US states have mandated closing hours for on-premise…usually, around 2 pm. Off-premise closing times usually earlier. Many states allow local options for different hours.

More variation in local areas: some large cities have later closing hours, e.g. 4 am in New York City; “bedroom communities” often require earlier closing.

EXPERIENCE WITH 24/7 SALES

Limited instances of places in the US that allow service 24/7 for on-premise sales: Nevada, Louisiana (but allows local option), Birmingham and Mobile, Atlantic City, Memphis, Miami entertainment district.

Major example of experience with 24/7 sales is United Kingdom which currently allows such sales in both on and off premise.

LIBERALIZED CLOSING HOURS WAS PART OF A LONG PROCESS OF DEREGULATION WHICH PROVOKED AN ALCOHOL EPIDEMIC

In 1930’s, the UK’s license system was a model for US regulatory system design after Prohibition.

All forms of alcohol sold in grocery stores beginning in the 1060’s. Bar hours extended; Sunday sales permitted.

Age laws are weak and poorly enforced. Licensing Act of 2003 permitted 24 hour sales; enforcement

overwhelmed. New efforts to contain problems are weak.

Source: Statistical handbook 2007 (British Bar and Pub Association)

EPIDEMIC CHARACTERISTICS

•High rates of hospitalization and alcohol related disease including young people with liver cirrhosis.•Underage drinking at twice the US rate.•High overall consumption rates (8th highest among 43 countries; US is 23rd) •Violence and public nuisance around pubs and bars.

“QUITE SIMPLY, ENGLAND IS DRINKING FAR TOO MUCH. ENGLAND HAS AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM.” SIR LIAM DONALDSON, FORMER CHIEF MEDICAL ADVISOR, UK

Hospital Admissions have doubled for liver disease and acute intoxication. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, The Information Centre, 2008

YOUTH ARE DRINKING AT TWICE US RATES!

Drinking and intoxication of youth 15-16 are at very high rates, according to the European School Survey.

0102030405060708090

100

Use in past 12 months

Use in past 30 days

Drunk in past 12 months

Drunk in past 30 days

UK

US

UK EXPERIENCE OF THEORY V. PRACTICE

“The story goes back to the 1980s when the collapse of traditional manufacturing led local authorities to look to the night-time economy to create jobs. Run-down urban centres would be regenerated into Continental-style piazzas filled with bars and restaurants, theatres and dance-halls. But the dream of the café culture quickly evaporated. Drinks industry lawyers won a key legal battle that meant licenses could not be refused simply because councils thought there were already enough bars in an area. The result was that one type of business elbowed out almost all others- the mega-pub selling cheap alcohol to 18-24 year-olds, the so-called vertical drinking-dens turning over vast profits.” Mark Easton, BBC Editor, Dec. 1, 2010

PUBLIC DISORDER AND VIOLENCE IN TOWN CENTERS Large increase in public

disorder crimes around bars (vomiting, urination, fights, vandalism).

Thirteen “Booze Buses” used for 2009 New Year’s Celebration to take revelers to the hospital.

Serving practices promote rapid intoxication.

“Predrinking” at home increases bar intoxication.

“The barwoman recognized our faces and thought the drinks were for the two of us. But she never stopped serving-enough alcohol to kill each of us.” Anushka Asthana, reporter for The Observer, who was sold 12 rounds of drinks.

LARGE GROCERY CHAINS ARE WIDELY BLAMED FOR THE EPIDEMIC AS PRICES FALL

Four large chains control 75% of the market.

Most use alcohol as a “loss leader” with heavy promotions.

Pre-drinking and drinking at home has increased.

The UK has no law against volume discounts, promotions that induce heavy consumption or minimum prices.

The large chains are locked in price wars.

FLEXIBLE BAR HOURS FOR SEATTLE

“By transitioning to a flexible hours system, there may be an opportunity to improve Seattle’s quality of life by eliminating issues of public safety and nuisances associated with current closing times.”

CONCERNS FOR SEATTLE Applaud Seattle for taking a careful, comprehensive approach. A pilot is a

good idea. Be mindful that alcohol can cause great harm. According to the CDC,

alcohol results in an estimated 79,000 deaths per year. Research indicates that longer hours are associated with increased problems of consumption, violence, crashes and hospital visits. Common sense suggests that if people are in bars longer, they drink more and become more intoxicated.

It may be theoretically possible to “manage” some of these problems, but theory and practice are often quite different. People don’t always “do the right thing”; and, less rational action should be anticipated after drinking.

Providing transportation options doesn’t mean people will use them. (Many intoxicated people think they are okay to drive!) Washington has a high DUI rate: MADD ranks the state as 46th worst among other states.

Costs for adequate law enforcement and management could be substantial. It may not be possible to pass on all the costs to business via a “late night license fee.”

Avoiding the “closing hour crush” may not happen…it may just happen 1-2 hours later…and people may be drunker.

Conflicts with residents may increase over noise and nuisance issues and impact plans to attract more inner-city residents.

IDEAS FOR SAFE NIGHT LIFE Limit types of venues likely to

be a problem: large capacity, stand-up, high percentage of alcohol sales. Seek to balance with restaurants, coffee shops, theaters.

Eliminate high volume serving practices: drinking games, high volume drink specials.

Eliminate drink specials after midnight (when most of the problems occur) and encourage food sales.

Consider requirements for additional security, alcohol monitors.

Develop tools to rapidly require corrective action when problems occur.

CONCLUSIONS Extension of hours has the potential for creating

substantial public safety issues. Such extension for one small part of a city is

much more manageable than extension for an entire state, county or city.

Extension of hours along with other deregulation measures will increase risk of problems.

Management is likely to be costly in terms of additional police resources. Some costs may be mitigated by charging special license fees and requiring additional security.

A pilot project is advisable as theory is not the same as practice.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT PAMELA ERICKSON, PAM@PAMACTION.COM OR VISIT WEBSITE HEALTHYALCOHOLMARKET.COM.

Website has educational tools: Monthly newsletter, educational pieces, PowerPoint presentations from conferences.

Full report, “The Dangers of Alcohol Deregulation: the United Kingdom Experience,” can be downloaded from website.

Issue Briefs for 2011 has simple explanations of alcohol regulatory issues as well as citations for research and more information.