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Community Alcohol Control as a “Best Practice”
Matt BermanInstitute of Social and Economic Research
University of Alaska Anchorage
• Alaska local option law• Local option and injury deaths in rural Alaska• Factors contributing to success with local option
Major Events in the History of Alcohol Regulation in Alaska
1918 Alaska Territory goes dry after referendum in 1915.
1920 Prohibition throughout U.S.
1933 Prohibition repealed. Indian reserves and rural Alaska remain dry.
1936 Congress extends Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) to Alaska.
1941 Territorial legislature expands local option for cities to ban alcohol.
1953 U.S. allows IRA tribal councils to legalize liquor sales on reserves.
1959 Alaska becomes a state. State refuses to recognize tribal authority.
1971 ANCSA ends federal recognition of tribal legal authority.
1980 State legislature greatly expands local option to ban importation.
1986 Local option law amended to allow communities to ban possession.
1998 U.S. Supreme Court rules against Venetie and Indian Country in Alaska
Community Alcohol Control Options Under Alaska Local Option Law
• Allow sale only at community liquor store• Ban sale but allow importation• Ban sale and importation• Ban sale, importation, and possession
How have Alaska communities used the local option law?
• Between 1981 and 1999, 112 communities held 197 alcohol control elections.
• 69% of elections added new restrictions on alcohol,• 13% removed restrictions• 18% failed to get a majority vote to change the law.• Most communites chose to ban sale and importation
Most Elections Held Soon After Law Took EffectLocal Option Elections Through May 31, 1999
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
before1980
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998
Adding restrictions Reducing or removing restrictions Failing to change law
2 2
13
96
32
21
4
0
20
40
60
80
100
Sale bycommunitylicense only
Sale byselectedlicenses
only
Ban sale Ban saleand
importation
Banpossession
Ballots adding restrictions Ballots removing restrictions
Most Elections Banned Sale and ImportationLocal Option Elections Through May 31, 1999
A Few Communities Have Held Many Elections Elections held between July 1, 1981 Through May 31, 1999
60
38
72 2 1 1 1
67
28
73 1
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9
Number of Valid Elections Held
Nu
mb
er o
f C
om
mu
nit
ies
All valid elections Elections that changed control status
How has alcohol control affected health and safety in rural Alaska?
• We look at injury deaths• Why?
– Only systematic indicator that is available for all Alaska communities
– Injury death rates the tip of the iceberg– But it is the part that is most visible
Homicide rate
91.7
26
0
10
20
30
40
5060
70
80
90
100
97 Local Option Communities
An
nu
al r
ate
per
100
,000
Death rate while wet Death rate while dry
Homicide rate
5753.9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
61 Communities Remaining Wet
An
nu
al r
ate
per
100
,000
Death rate, 1980-86 Death rate, 1987-1993
Homicide death rates fell dramatically in communities that went dry
Homicide death rates: comparing wet vs. dry, 1980-93
Accident death rates fell faster in communities that went dry
Unintentional injury death rates: comparing wet vs. dry, 1980-93
Accident death rate
226.8
152.2
0
50
100
150
200
250
97 Local Option Communities
An
nu
al r
ate
per
100
,000
Death rate while wet Death rate while dry
Accident death rate
276.1
210.3
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
61 Communities Remaining Wet
An
nu
al r
ate
per
100
,000
Death rate, 1980-86 Death rate, 1987-1993
Suicide rate
53.2
92
0
20
40
60
80
100
61 Communities Remaining Wet
An
nu
al r
ate
per
100
,000
Death rate, 1980-86 Death rate, 1987-1993
Suicide rate
95.485.6
0
10
2030
40
50
60
7080
90
100
97 Local Option Communities
An
nu
al r
ate
per
100
,000
Death rate while wet Death rate while dry
Suicide rates changed little in communities that went dry, but rose in communities remaining wet
Suicide death rates: comparing wet vs. dry, 1980-93
Factors that increase likelihood that alcohol control improves outcomes?
• Community speaks with one voice– Election wins overwhelming majority– No attempt to remove controls
• Community fosters learning and identity– Role models for youth: both traditional and modern– Communication across generations: youth, parents,
elders
Further Information?
Please visit the ISER web site at www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/
