Alcohol in Oregon
Encyclopedia
The U.S. state of Oregon
has an extensive history of laws regulating the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverage
s, dating back to 1844. It has been an alcoholic beverage control state
, with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission
holding a monopoly over the sale of all distilled beverage
s, since Prohibition
. Today, there are thriving industries producing beer
, wine
, and liquor in the state.
Alcohol may be purchased between 7 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Oregonians consume an average amount of beer and distilled spirits, and an above average amount of wine. As of 2007, consumption of spirits is on the rise, while beer consumption is holding steady. Also, 11% of beer sold in Oregon was brewed in-state, the highest figure in the United States.
Oregon wine production began in the mid-19th century, before it was a state. By 1919, the industry had collapsed due to prohibition, and after prohibition ended fruit wines dominated the industry. The modern era of Oregon wine began in 1961, and the industry cemented its reputation in 1975 by winning a French award. In 2007, wine making was a $207.8 million business. Beer production began in 1852 with Henry Saxer's liberty brewing in Portland. In 1862 Henry Weinhard's
bought the Liberty brewery. The company is now a part of the Miller Brewing Company, but it helped Portland to become the microbrewing capital of the world. Portland hosts North America's largest beerfest, and Oregon has produced a number of national and international award winning beers.
In 1844, the Oregon territories voted to prohibit alcoholic beverages. This was repealed in 1845, but prohibition was reinstated in a 1915, four years before the national alcohol prohibition. When national prohibition was repealed in 1933, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission
(OLCC) was created. Unlike states that allow liquor sales in grocery stores, liquor in Oregon is sold only in OLCC run liquor stores and establishments that have liquor license
s. Alcohol and alcoholism are also studied by the state at the Portland Alcohol Research Center.
, wine
, and liquor, for on- or off-premise consumption, between 7 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. In 2004, Oregonians consumed 5103000 gallons (19,316,957.4 l) of distilled spirits, 11132000 gallons (42,139,206.4 l) of wine, and 80415000 gallons (304,403,906 l) of beer, ranking it 27th, 19th, and 27th respectively of US states. Oregon had an estimated population of 3,594,586 in 2004, ranking it 27th among US states.
In 2007, sales of spirits increased 9% over the previous year. Whiskey and vodka
were the top sellers, while tequila
had the largest percentage increase. Oregonian's top buy was Jack Daniel's
, with 412,000 bottles sold. This was during a national spirits trend where manufacturers introduced new products and advertising aimed at young drinkers. Again in 2007, Oregon's 2.6 million adults on average drank 32 gallons of beer each, versus 4 gallons of wine and 2 gallons of spirits, but sales of beer hadn't increased like sales of spirits. The Oregon Department of Human Services
reported that while drinking among 8th–11th graders has fallen nationally, it has increased in Oregon. The number of DUI offenses dropped between 2002 and 2005, from 25,342 to 23,455.
starting in 1847. A census in 1860 revealed that Oregon's wine production was 2,600 gallons. In the 1880s and 1890s, German immigrants began planting wine grapes in Southern Oregon. In the 1880s, Ernest Reuter garnered a reputation for his Klevner wines, grown in the Willamette Valley, west of Forest Grove
. By 1919, the Oregon wine industry had collapsed due to the temperance movement
and resulting prohibition. Fruit wine
s dominated Oregon's wine industry post-prohibition, and by 1938 there were 28 bonded wineries, producing wines based on berries, Concord grape
s, and other American hybrids.
Oregon's modern wine industry dates to 1961 when Hillcrest Vineyard in Roseburg
began planting Riesling
and small amounts of other grapes. In 1965, Oregon pinot noir was established when The Eyrie Vineyards planted grapes near Corvallis
. Oregon's wine reputation was made in 1979 when a French magazine ranked The Eyrie's 1975 Pinot noir
third among 330 wines of the world. By 2007, Oregon wineries were producing 1.7 million cases of wine for a total of $207.8 million in sales.
There are several official American Viticultural Area
s entirely within the state, including the Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley, and Rogue Valley AVAs. Parts of the Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla Valley, and Snake River Valley AVAs lie within Oregon. Pinot noir and Pinot gris
are the top two grapes grown.
founded a brewery in Portland. By the early 1880s it had become the Northwest's largest brewery. Weinhard once attempted to pump free beer through Portland's Skidmore Fountain
. He died in 1904, but the company continued to do well, making it through prohibition by brewing soft drinks and merging with Arnold Blitz, a local competitor. Blitz-Weinhard was sold to the Pabst Brewing Company
in 1979, and then again to the Miller Brewing Company
in 1999. The company helped prepare Oregon beer drinkers for the arrival of microbrewing.
Portland, Oregon is considered to be the nation's microbrew capital. A microbrewery is defined as one that produces less than 15,000 barrels a year. Portland hosts the Oregon Brewers Festival
, North America's largest beer festival. The microbrewery industry began in 1979 when President Jimmy Carter
legalized home brewing. In 2006, 14 beers from eight Oregon breweries won medals at the Great American Beer Festival
, out of 2,800 entries. Also in 2006, Oregon won 11 times at the World Beer Cup
, in a field of 2,200 beers. In 2007, 11% of beer sold in Oregon was brewed in-state, the highest figure in the United States. According to the Oregon Hop Commission, in 2007, Oregon was also the second largest U.S. hops
producer, after Washington.
, up from six in 2006. In 2007, a law was approved allowing tasting rooms and direct sales to the public. Jim Dodge, purchasing manager for the OLCC, believes that the distilleries are an outgrowth of the microbrew industry, instead of the wine industry, as well as a societal change. Dodge explained that "there's been a recent shift from beer, and to some degree wine, to distilled spirits as the alcohol of choice."
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined that absinthe
was legal, though it had been understood to be illegal for about 80 years. Portland distillery Integrity Spirits responded by releasing the second American-made absinthe, which was in high demand immediately upon its release.
. The law was repealed in 1845. From 1845 to 1915, various local laws governing alcohol were passed. In 1915, Oregonians voted to ban all alcohol, preceding national alcohol prohibition by four years.
In 1933, national prohibition ended with a repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
. Oregon's governor, Julius Meier
, appointed Dr. William S. Knox to study the situation. Knox recommended adopting the Canadian system of sales of alcohol by the state. The reasoning was that this would provide revenue and lower alcohol abuse.
The Oregon Legislative Assembly held a special session and the OLCC was created days after the repeal of national prohibition. Eighteen states in total chose to regulate alcohol. Oregon Revised Statutes
Chapters 471, 472, 473 and 474 were the commission's enabling statutes. OAR Chapter 845 governed its administrative rules. The OLCC's mission is "to effectively regulate the sale, distribution, and responsible use of alcoholic beverages in order to protect Oregon's public health, safety and community livability."
In 1939, the advertising of hard liquor on billboards and in newspapers was voluntarily discontinued. Also, in 1939, a "club bill" was passed by the Legislative Assembly. The bill gave regulatory power to the OLCC over hotels, restaurants and private clubs where liquor was served. Lobbyists then succeeded in having the bill referred to the voters in 1940. Voters passed the bill in 1940.
In 1944, the "Burke Bill" became law: wines with more than 14% alcohol could only be sold by Commission stores and agencies. Also in the 1940s, a "service bars" license was established. This restricted liquor license
s to establishments serving food. In 1949, the Legislative Assembly approved a method where establishments that sold liquor could ask for proof of age from patrons they thought were under the age of 21. Measure 15—passed in 1952—amended the Constitution (Article I, section 39) to regulate the sale of liquor by the individual glass.
Five more types of licenses were created in the 1950s, dealing with liquor-by-the-drink operations, industry agents, salesmen, out-of-state manufacturers of malt beverages, and conventions, group meetings, etc. In 1960, establishments were required to have food sales equal to 25% of their total sales. In the 1970s, the OLCC began enforcing the Oregon Bottle Bill
and wines of up to 20% alcohol became allowed with certain licenses. In the 1980s, the number of OLCC commissioners was changed from three to five, to reflect the number of congressional districts. The 1990s saw a flurry of laws passed governing the OLCC's oversight of the newly numerous Oregon wineries and microbreweries. House Bill 4028–passed in 2002–allowed liquor stores to operate in Sunday; they had previously been restricted to six days a week.
The following alcohol-related ballot measures have failed:
. About 20 scientists and 60 people, mostly at OHSU, are investigating science organized around ten components:
Additional themes and focuses include:
The center has trained medical students in alcohol related issues for more than 30 years and has published more than 380 papers and articles since 1996.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
has an extensive history of laws regulating the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s, dating back to 1844. It has been an alcoholic beverage control state
Alcoholic beverage control state
Alcoholic beverage control states, generally called control states, are those in the United States that have state monopoly over the wholesaling and/or retailing of some or all categories of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits....
, with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission
Oregon Liquor Control Commission
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is a government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. The OLCC was created by an act of the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1933, days after the repeal of prohibition, as a means of providing control over the distribution, sales and consumption of alcoholic...
holding a monopoly over the sale of all distilled beverage
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
s, since Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
. Today, there are thriving industries producing beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, and liquor in the state.
Alcohol may be purchased between 7 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Oregonians consume an average amount of beer and distilled spirits, and an above average amount of wine. As of 2007, consumption of spirits is on the rise, while beer consumption is holding steady. Also, 11% of beer sold in Oregon was brewed in-state, the highest figure in the United States.
Oregon wine production began in the mid-19th century, before it was a state. By 1919, the industry had collapsed due to prohibition, and after prohibition ended fruit wines dominated the industry. The modern era of Oregon wine began in 1961, and the industry cemented its reputation in 1975 by winning a French award. In 2007, wine making was a $207.8 million business. Beer production began in 1852 with Henry Saxer's liberty brewing in Portland. In 1862 Henry Weinhard's
Henry Weinhard's
Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve and Blitz-Weinhard are brands of beer first brewed in 1856 in Portland, Oregon, United States. The brewery was owned by the brewer Henry Weinhard of the Weinhard family, who also made a line of soft drinks which survives to this day.The Blitz-Weinhard brand was...
bought the Liberty brewery. The company is now a part of the Miller Brewing Company, but it helped Portland to become the microbrewing capital of the world. Portland hosts North America's largest beerfest, and Oregon has produced a number of national and international award winning beers.
In 1844, the Oregon territories voted to prohibit alcoholic beverages. This was repealed in 1845, but prohibition was reinstated in a 1915, four years before the national alcohol prohibition. When national prohibition was repealed in 1933, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission
Oregon Liquor Control Commission
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is a government agency of the U.S. state of Oregon. The OLCC was created by an act of the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1933, days after the repeal of prohibition, as a means of providing control over the distribution, sales and consumption of alcoholic...
(OLCC) was created. Unlike states that allow liquor sales in grocery stores, liquor in Oregon is sold only in OLCC run liquor stores and establishments that have liquor license
Liquor license
-Alberta:In Alberta, liquor licences are issued by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.-United Kingdom:Throughout the United Kingdom, the sale of alcohol is restricted—pubs, restaurants, shops and other premises must be licensed by the local authority. The individual responsible for the...
s. Alcohol and alcoholism are also studied by the state at the Portland Alcohol Research Center.
Consumption
Alcohol laws in Oregon permit the sale of beerBeer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, and liquor, for on- or off-premise consumption, between 7 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. In 2004, Oregonians consumed 5103000 gallons (19,316,957.4 l) of distilled spirits, 11132000 gallons (42,139,206.4 l) of wine, and 80415000 gallons (304,403,906 l) of beer, ranking it 27th, 19th, and 27th respectively of US states. Oregon had an estimated population of 3,594,586 in 2004, ranking it 27th among US states.
In 2007, sales of spirits increased 9% over the previous year. Whiskey and vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
were the top sellers, while tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
had the largest percentage increase. Oregonian's top buy was Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
, with 412,000 bottles sold. This was during a national spirits trend where manufacturers introduced new products and advertising aimed at young drinkers. Again in 2007, Oregon's 2.6 million adults on average drank 32 gallons of beer each, versus 4 gallons of wine and 2 gallons of spirits, but sales of beer hadn't increased like sales of spirits. The Oregon Department of Human Services
Oregon Department of Human Services
The Oregon Department of Human Services is the primary health and human services agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The ODHS was established in 1971 as the Oregon Department of Human Resources but renamed in 1999...
reported that while drinking among 8th–11th graders has fallen nationally, it has increased in Oregon. The number of DUI offenses dropped between 2002 and 2005, from 25,342 to 23,455.
Beer consumption
The following table lists the amount of beer consumed in Oregon for the years 1997–2004 as reported in the 2005 Beer Handbook. The scale is in 1,000s of cases of beer. A case of beer is 24 12-ounce beers, for a total of 2.25 gallons per case.| Year | Oregon | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 31,822 | 2,632,184 |
| 1998 | 32,242 | 2,667,752 |
| 1999 | 32,947 | 2,727,195 |
| 2000 | 33,398 | 2,765,670 |
| 2001 | 34,400 | 2,788,820 |
| 2002 | 34,650 | 2,824,710 |
| 2003 | 35,000 | 2,817,400 |
| 2004 | 35,740 | 2,838,400 |
Wine
Wine grapes were planted in Oregon in the Willamette ValleyWillamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
starting in 1847. A census in 1860 revealed that Oregon's wine production was 2,600 gallons. In the 1880s and 1890s, German immigrants began planting wine grapes in Southern Oregon. In the 1880s, Ernest Reuter garnered a reputation for his Klevner wines, grown in the Willamette Valley, west of Forest Grove
Forest Grove, Oregon
Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, west of Portland. Originally a small farm town, it is now primarily a bedroom suburb of Portland. Settled in the 1840s, the town was platted in 1850 and then incorporated in 1872 and was the first city in Washington County...
. By 1919, the Oregon wine industry had collapsed due to the temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
and resulting prohibition. Fruit wine
Fruit wine
Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients ; they may also have additional flavours taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any fermented alcoholic beverage except beer...
s dominated Oregon's wine industry post-prohibition, and by 1938 there were 28 bonded wineries, producing wines based on berries, Concord grape
Concord grape
Concord grapes are a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis labrusca which are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes....
s, and other American hybrids.
Oregon's modern wine industry dates to 1961 when Hillcrest Vineyard in Roseburg
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
began planting Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
and small amounts of other grapes. In 1965, Oregon pinot noir was established when The Eyrie Vineyards planted grapes near Corvallis
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
. Oregon's wine reputation was made in 1979 when a French magazine ranked The Eyrie's 1975 Pinot noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
third among 330 wines of the world. By 2007, Oregon wineries were producing 1.7 million cases of wine for a total of $207.8 million in sales.
There are several official American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area
An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....
s entirely within the state, including the Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley, and Rogue Valley AVAs. Parts of the Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla Valley, and Snake River Valley AVAs lie within Oregon. Pinot noir and Pinot gris
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
are the top two grapes grown.
Beer
In 1862, German immigrant Henry WeinhardHenry Weinhard's
Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve and Blitz-Weinhard are brands of beer first brewed in 1856 in Portland, Oregon, United States. The brewery was owned by the brewer Henry Weinhard of the Weinhard family, who also made a line of soft drinks which survives to this day.The Blitz-Weinhard brand was...
founded a brewery in Portland. By the early 1880s it had become the Northwest's largest brewery. Weinhard once attempted to pump free beer through Portland's Skidmore Fountain
Skidmore Fountain
The Skidmore Fountain is a historic fountain in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was dedicated September 22, 1888, in memory of Stephen G. Skidmore and partly financed by his will. It was designed by sculptor Olin Levi Warner for $18,000, all of which was donated...
. He died in 1904, but the company continued to do well, making it through prohibition by brewing soft drinks and merging with Arnold Blitz, a local competitor. Blitz-Weinhard was sold to the Pabst Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company is an American company that dates its origins to a brewing company founded in 1844 by Jacob Best and by 1889 named after Frederick Pabst. It is currently the holding company contracting for the brewing of over two dozen brands of beer and malt liquor from defunct companies...
in 1979, and then again to the Miller Brewing Company
Miller Brewing Company
The Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
in 1999. The company helped prepare Oregon beer drinkers for the arrival of microbrewing.
Portland, Oregon is considered to be the nation's microbrew capital. A microbrewery is defined as one that produces less than 15,000 barrels a year. Portland hosts the Oregon Brewers Festival
Oregon Brewers Festival
Oregon Brewers Festival is a four-day craft beer festival held annually since 1988 at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland, Oregon. In addition to beer, OBF features food vendors, live music, as well as exhibits from hop growers, home brewers, breweriana collectors, and others.Each...
, North America's largest beer festival. The microbrewery industry began in 1979 when President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
legalized home brewing. In 2006, 14 beers from eight Oregon breweries won medals at the Great American Beer Festival
Great American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
, out of 2,800 entries. Also in 2006, Oregon won 11 times at the World Beer Cup
World Beer Cup
The World Beer Cup, known as "The Olympics of Beer Competition", is one of several major international beer competitions. It was founded by Association of Brewers President Charlie Papazian....
, in a field of 2,200 beers. In 2007, 11% of beer sold in Oregon was brewed in-state, the highest figure in the United States. According to the Oregon Hop Commission, in 2007, Oregon was also the second largest U.S. hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
producer, after Washington.
Spirits
As of 2008, Oregon contains 12 of the nation's 142 craft distilleriesMicrodistillery
A microdistillery is a small, often 'boutique', distillery established to produce beverage grade alcohol in relatively small quantities. While the term is most commonly used in the United States, micro-distilleries have been established in Europe for many years, either as small cognac distilleries...
, up from six in 2006. In 2007, a law was approved allowing tasting rooms and direct sales to the public. Jim Dodge, purchasing manager for the OLCC, believes that the distilleries are an outgrowth of the microbrew industry, instead of the wine industry, as well as a societal change. Dodge explained that "there's been a recent shift from beer, and to some degree wine, to distilled spirits as the alcohol of choice."
In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined that absinthe
Absinthe
Absinthe is historically described as a distilled, highly alcoholic beverage. It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as "grande wormwood", together with green anise and sweet fennel...
was legal, though it had been understood to be illegal for about 80 years. Portland distillery Integrity Spirits responded by releasing the second American-made absinthe, which was in high demand immediately upon its release.
Legislative history
Oregon has been regulating alcohol through its laws for over 150 years. In 1844, the Oregon Territory voted to prohibit alcoholic beverages. This is often referred to as the first prohibition in the United StatesProhibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
. The law was repealed in 1845. From 1845 to 1915, various local laws governing alcohol were passed. In 1915, Oregonians voted to ban all alcohol, preceding national alcohol prohibition by four years.
In 1933, national prohibition ended with a repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established Prohibition in the United States. The separate Volstead Act set down methods of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition...
. Oregon's governor, Julius Meier
Julius Meier
Julius L. Meier was an American businessman and politician in the state of Oregon. The son of the Meier & Frank department store founder, he would become a lawyer before entering the family business in Portland...
, appointed Dr. William S. Knox to study the situation. Knox recommended adopting the Canadian system of sales of alcohol by the state. The reasoning was that this would provide revenue and lower alcohol abuse.
The Oregon Legislative Assembly held a special session and the OLCC was created days after the repeal of national prohibition. Eighteen states in total chose to regulate alcohol. Oregon Revised Statutes
Oregon Revised Statutes
The Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...
Chapters 471, 472, 473 and 474 were the commission's enabling statutes. OAR Chapter 845 governed its administrative rules. The OLCC's mission is "to effectively regulate the sale, distribution, and responsible use of alcoholic beverages in order to protect Oregon's public health, safety and community livability."
In 1939, the advertising of hard liquor on billboards and in newspapers was voluntarily discontinued. Also, in 1939, a "club bill" was passed by the Legislative Assembly. The bill gave regulatory power to the OLCC over hotels, restaurants and private clubs where liquor was served. Lobbyists then succeeded in having the bill referred to the voters in 1940. Voters passed the bill in 1940.
In 1944, the "Burke Bill" became law: wines with more than 14% alcohol could only be sold by Commission stores and agencies. Also in the 1940s, a "service bars" license was established. This restricted liquor license
Liquor license
-Alberta:In Alberta, liquor licences are issued by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.-United Kingdom:Throughout the United Kingdom, the sale of alcohol is restricted—pubs, restaurants, shops and other premises must be licensed by the local authority. The individual responsible for the...
s to establishments serving food. In 1949, the Legislative Assembly approved a method where establishments that sold liquor could ask for proof of age from patrons they thought were under the age of 21. Measure 15—passed in 1952—amended the Constitution (Article I, section 39) to regulate the sale of liquor by the individual glass.
Five more types of licenses were created in the 1950s, dealing with liquor-by-the-drink operations, industry agents, salesmen, out-of-state manufacturers of malt beverages, and conventions, group meetings, etc. In 1960, establishments were required to have food sales equal to 25% of their total sales. In the 1970s, the OLCC began enforcing the Oregon Bottle Bill
Oregon Bottle Bill
The Oregon Bottle Bill is container-deposit legislation passed in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1971 and amended in 2007. It requires cans, bottles, and other containers of carbonated soft drink, beer, and water sold in Oregon to be returnable with a minimum refund value...
and wines of up to 20% alcohol became allowed with certain licenses. In the 1980s, the number of OLCC commissioners was changed from three to five, to reflect the number of congressional districts. The 1990s saw a flurry of laws passed governing the OLCC's oversight of the newly numerous Oregon wineries and microbreweries. House Bill 4028–passed in 2002–allowed liquor stores to operate in Sunday; they had previously been restricted to six days a week.
Ballot measures relating to alcohol
The following ballot measures changed state policy on alcohol:- Measure 3 (1904), a "local option" law, passed.
- Measure 17 (1914), Prohibition Constitutional Amendment: passed 57.7%
- Measure 9 (1916), Prohibition Amendment Forbidding Importation of Intoxicating Liquors for Beverage Purposes: passed with 51.2%.
- Measure 7 (1932), Bill to Repeal State Prohibition Law of Oregon: passed 59.8%
- Measure 7 (1944), Burke Bill; Only State Selling Liquor over 14 Hundredths Alcohol: passed 55.95%
- Measure 15 (1952), Constitutional Amendment Authorizing Alcoholic Liquor Sale by Individual Glass: passed 56.4%
The following alcohol-related ballot measures have failed:
- Measure 3 (1906), Amendment to local option law giving anti-prohibitionists and prohibitionists equal privileges: failed with 43.9% support.
- Measure 22 (1910), Prohibiting Liquor Traffic: failed 41.6%.
- Measure 23 (1910), Prohibiting the Sale of Liquors and Regulating Shipments of Same, and Providing for Search for Liquor: failed 40.2%.
- Measure 8 (1916), Permitting Manufacture and Regulating Sale 4 Percent Malt Liquors: failed with 38% support.
- Measure 11 (1938), Bill Regulating Sale of Alcoholic Liquor for Beverage Purposes: failed 34.7%
- Measure 6 (1940), Bill to Further Regulate Sale and Use of Alcoholic Liquor: failed 40.2%
- Measure 9 (1950), Making Sale of Promotively Advertised Alcoholic Beverage Unlawful: failed 23.1%
- Measure 5 (1988), Finances Intercollegiate Athletic Fund by Increasing Malt Beverage, Cigarette Taxes
Research
The Portland Alcohol Research Center is a NIH-established effort funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism , as part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, supports and conducts biomedical and behavioral research on the causes, consequences, treatment, and prevention of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems...
. About 20 scientists and 60 people, mostly at OHSU, are investigating science organized around ten components:
- Dependency using mice.
- Molecular geneticsMolecular geneticsMolecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology...
responses affecting alcohol withdrawal and preference. - Quantitative trait locus which relates gene expressionGene expressionGene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
to genotypes. - Genetic analysis of gene expression.
- Characterization of ethanol response on chromosome 11.
- Massive search strategy for ethanol-related genes.
- Genetic models of variation in impulsivity and alcoholism.
- Genetics of alcohol-associated traits in monkeysAnimal testing on non-human primatesExperiments involving non-human primates include toxicity testing for medical and non-medical substances; studies of infectious disease, such as HIV and hepatitis; neurological studies; behavior and cognition; reproduction; genetics; and xenotransplantation. Around 65,000–70,000 are used every...
. - A dedicated section (Pilot projects) launches 2 to 4 projects annually.
- Educational outreach with three aims: K-12K-12K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
schools, scientific education, and publication.
Additional themes and focuses include:
- Genetic contributions to alcohol sensitivity
- Behavioral predispositions to the drug, such as impulse effects and dependency.
The center has trained medical students in alcohol related issues for more than 30 years and has published more than 380 papers and articles since 1996.
See also
- Alcohol laws of the United States by stateAlcohol laws of the United States by stateThis list of alcohol laws of the United States by State provides an overview of alcohol-related laws by state throughout the United States. This list is not intended to provide a breakdown of such laws by local jurisdiction within a state; see that state's alcohol laws page for more detailed...
- Woman's Christian Temperance UnionWoman's Christian Temperance UnionThe Woman's Christian Temperance Union was the first mass organization among women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far-reaching reform strategies based on applied Christianity." Originally organized on December 23, 1873, in...
- Controlled substances in OregonControlled substances in OregonThe U.S. state of Oregon has various policies restricting the production, sale, and use of different substances. In 2006, Oregon's per capita drug use exceeded the national average...
- Cannabis in OregonCannabis in OregonCannabis in Oregon relates to a number of legislative, legal, and cultural events surrounding use of cannabis Oregon was the first U.S. state to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis, and among the first to authorize its use for medical purposes...
- Former Governor Oswald WestOswald WestOswald West was an American politician, a Democrat, who served most notably as the 14th Governor of Oregon. Called "Os West" by Oregon writer Stewart Holbrook, who described him as "by all odds the most brilliant governor Oregon ever had."- Early life and career :West was born in Ontario, Canada...
, a noted prohibitionist - Fern HobbsFern HobbsFern Hobbs was an American attorney in the U.S. state of Oregon, and a private secretary to Oregon Governor Oswald West...
, West's personal secretary - Oregon Bottle BillOregon Bottle BillThe Oregon Bottle Bill is container-deposit legislation passed in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1971 and amended in 2007. It requires cans, bottles, and other containers of carbonated soft drink, beer, and water sold in Oregon to be returnable with a minimum refund value...
External links
- Oregon Liquor Control Commission
- National Alcohol Beverage Control Association
- Prohibition in Oregon: The Vision and the Reality, from the Oregon State ArchivesOregon State ArchivesThe Archives Division of the Office of the Secretary of State of Oregon, or Oregon State Archives, is an agency of the Office of the Oregon Secretary of State charged with preserving and providing access to government records. It also publishes the Oregon Blue Book and Oregon Administrative Rules...
- Portland Beer Wiki