In stunning denial of the public health and safety threats of encouraging more alcohol consumption, the California State Legislature has passed a bill to allow the use of sweepstakes and contests to promote alcohol sales in the state.
”We are deeply disturbed by this election year gift to Big Alcohol,” stated Alcohol Justice Public Affairs Director Michael Scippa. “We are calling upon Governor Brown to veto this irresponsible measure because overturning the state’s existing ban on alcohol-related contests will lead to increased over-consumption and increased public health and safety costs.”
Proponents of SB 778, led by Wine Institute, the bill’s sponsor, and Senator Alex Padilla (D-San Fernando Valley), the bill’s author, pleaded that California was at a competitive disadvantage by being one of the only states in the country that did not allow alcohol sweepstakes and contests. This hollow argument ignores the facts that California not only leads the country in alcohol sales at nearly $22 billion a year, but also leads the country in alcohol-related harm, which was estimated in 2008 to be more than $38 billion a year. > > > > Read More
”We are deeply disturbed by this election year gift to Big Alcohol,” stated Alcohol Justice Public Affairs Director Michael Scippa. “We are calling upon Governor Brown to veto this irresponsible measure because overturning the state’s existing ban on alcohol-related contests will lead to increased over-consumption and increased public health and safety costs.”
Proponents of SB 778, led by Wine Institute, the bill’s sponsor, and Senator Alex Padilla (D-San Fernando Valley), the bill’s author, pleaded that California was at a competitive disadvantage by being one of the only states in the country that did not allow alcohol sweepstakes and contests. This hollow argument ignores the facts that California not only leads the country in alcohol sales at nearly $22 billion a year, but also leads the country in alcohol-related harm, which was estimated in 2008 to be more than $38 billion a year. > > > > Read More
