Organizations fighting against underage and excessive alcohol consumption in Nebraska are sounding the alarm on a number of bills introduced in the legislature this year, including one that would relax regulations on ‘near beer’.
Under LB258, products with up to point-five percent (.5) alcohol by volume would no longer be considered an alcoholic beverage in state statue, raising concerns about the impact such drinks would have on youth.
Monument Prevention Coalition and Project Extra Mile are seeking to have the General Affairs Committee indefinitely postpone the measure after it comes up for a hearing Monday afternoon.
The organizations say ‘near beer’ is defined as an alcoholic beverage containing less than 0.5% alcohol content even though it is often referred to as “non-alcoholic,” and removing this definition from statute will allow for these products to be purchased and consumed by minors, consumed while driving, and will result in lost tax revenue to the state.
They say while it may take greater consumption to lead to intoxication, youth are reported to consume more than 90% of their alcohol in the form of binge drinking, including high intensity drinking which is defined as at least double the levels for binge drinking.
The groups continue that most importantly, youth that begin drinking by the age of 15 are six times more likely to become alcohol dependent, and because this type of product will be sold like soda or water to kids, the goal is to get them used to the taste of alcohol so that they will become a solid revenue stream for the alcohol industry later in life.
