There is a certain appeal to the sound-bite of the pro marijuana legalization forces when they claim they want to “regulate marijuana like alcohol,” but the devil is always in the details. The conversation about regulating marijuana like alcohol is incomplete without mentioning the unique constitutional nature of alcohol regulation. A previous post suggested that…Read More
Is It Time for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol?
July 15, 2016 21st Amendment Alcohol Regulation Guest Columns
Supreme Court Rules on Drunk Driving Enforcement Issues
June 24, 2016 Alcohol Regulation Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled that warrantless breath tests are constitutionally proper but warrantless blood tests are not. In Birchfield v. North Dakota the Supreme Court reviewed cases from North Dakota and Minnesota relating to refusals to take a breathalyzer test (ND) and blood test (MN). In the opinion, Justice Alito noted, “The impact of…Read More
Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau Issues Guidance on Rules Related to Category Management
March 17, 2016 Alcohol Regulation
The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is the primary federal regulator of the alcohol industry. The TTB enforces the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAAA) which was originally passed in 1935. The FAAA governs various aspects of alcohol industry interactions and requires all wineries, distillers, wholesalers and importers to obtain a federal basic permit…Read More
United Kingdom Moves Toward a Three-Tier System With Alcohol Wholesaler Registration
January 27, 2016 All
As of January 1, 2016, any company in the United Kingdom that sells alcohol to another business will need to apply to register for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS). This law was introduced by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to tackle alcohol fraud. The failure to pay alcohol taxes and wide-scale illegal production and…Read More
7th Circuit Rules for Indiana in Cold Beer Case
December 14, 2015 21st Amendment All Equal Protection
The 7th Circuit finally ruled for the state of Indiana against a challenge by grocery stores related to the regulations on the sale of cold beer. In its opinion, the court ruled for the state and concluded; “The Association’s policy arguments for allowing cold-beer sales by grocery and convenience stores are matters for the Indiana…Read More
