Policy Memo: Change of Alcohol Business Hours

Memorandum
TO:

Hawaii Liquor Commissions

FROM:

------------------------

DATE:

November 18, 2016

SUBJECT:

Reducing hours of alcohol sales

Introduction
Alcohol is classified as depressant. Depressant slows down normal brain function and affects the
bodys responses. Thus, reduces a persons ability to think rationally as well as having an altered
judgment, that why the chances of accidents happening increases when alcohol is consumed
uncontrollably specially driving under the influence. According to the Traffic Safety Fact 2014 ,
the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2014 was almost 4
times higher at night than during the day.
Alcohol-related injuries are huge public safety concern even with the current multiple policies
regulating alcohol availability on each every state. According to Hawaii state data, impaired
driving continues to present a significant problem in Hawaii and poses a danger to public safety.
Of the states 95 traffic fatalities in 2014, 52% had alcohol/and or drugs in their system. With
these facts, I propose a resolution amending the rules of the liquor commission currently revised
on December 2015. Amending the 3-82-38.19. Hours of Business, to change to the hours of
10:00am to 12midnight to authorized seller and server of liquor applies to all types of license
class.
Background
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism the most recent data from
a 2014 study showed nearly 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women) dies
from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the fourth leading preventable cause of
death in the United States. Every day, 28 people in the United Stated die in motor vehicle crashes
that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 53 minute, stated in the
Traffic Safety Fact 2014 from the Department of transportation (US), National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Policy Memo: Change of Alcohol Business Hours

Research on the effectiveness of policies restricting hours of alcohol sales in preventing

excessive alcohol consumption and related harms impact provide supporting evidence for this
amendment:

According to a research done by Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA, 2015), stated
that adding just one or two hours to late-night opening times for bars and clubs in tow of
Amsterdams nightlife areas led to a persistent 34% increase in alcohol-related injuries, a

tend reflected in both the numbers of accidental injuries and those due to violence.
According to Public Health Research & Practice (PHRP, 2016), Australian studies
demonstrate that reducing the hours during which on-premise alcohol outlets can sell

alcohol late at night can substantially reduce rate of violence.

According to Oxford University Press Journal (OUPJ, 2011), restricting availability of
alcohol is an effective measure to prevent alcohol-attributable harm.

Possible Policy Solutions & Recommendations

This finding emphasizes the need for public health to be a key consideration of nightlife and
alcohol policy changes. Hours of business for a licensee to authorized to sell or serve liquor if
all types of class of license a) Dispenser, Club, Restaurant, Brewpub, Caterer, Vessel, Transient
Vessel, Tour or Cruise Vessel, Cabaret, Retail, Manufacturer and Wholesaler, Hotel, and
Condominium Hotel should have a restricted hours of pouring alcoholic drinks from 10:00 a.m.
until 12 midnight only, without exception.