Everclear in Iowa

[IowaJeff]

Thought some of you would find this interesting. Iowa is looking at proposals for the regulation or ban of Everclear. A college student almost died this fall by chugging Everclear. Iowa already banned 190 proof Everclear so we are talking about the 151.

Although I don't buy it and it doesn't affect me personally, I think it is reactionary and ridiculous. Everclear has valid, non alcohol-poisoning-inducing uses. You can use it to make limoncella and other similar drinks. Of course it is the most abused alcohol by young people but if you take it away something else will fill that void.

My bourbon-related fear is that they will pass some over-broad regulation or ban that will affect high proof bourbons. I don't think people buying Bookers for $50 or Stagg for $70 are the problem. If they did anything that affected WT101 or WTRB I would lose it. I doubt that happens though.

http://http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100125/NEWS10/1250321/State-regulators-weigh-ban-limits-on-Everclear

[ILLfarmboy]

You might be interested in this old thread.

Now that we are talking about baning 151 Everclear, only 6.2 proof points away from the last bottle of Stagg I finished, I wonder if the same people who thought I was overreacting when I made that "high threshold libertarian argument" regarding incrementalism, can be persuaded to change their mind.

By the way, Chicago may have banned the 190 proof Everclear, but it is available in my area. Perhaps downstate we don't protect the stupid from themselves as much as they do in Chicago.

[IowaJeff]

I doubt they outright ban Everclear 151, but if they do, it will likely be a ban of all spirits above a certain proof. If they draw that line at 150, Everclear and 151 Rum would be banned, but nothing else I can think of. If they draw it any lower than 150, a lot more starts to come under the ban.

I could see them restricting the size of bottles sold, or restricting the amount that can be purchased at once. I could also see some sort of regulation where if you buy a certain amount you have to provide your name and address, like when you buy a keg, or a lot of allergy pills. That would help with prosecuting some of the illegal uses.

[whskylvr]

In California at our distribution warehouse the city required us to get a hazardous material permit and keep hazardous spill equipment (spill bucket, respirator masks, plastic overalls, absorbent, booms, etc) for carrying 151 proof everclear all because the

BOX SAYS FLAMMABLE!!

This was such a pain in the @$$.

[GOCOUGS2002]

Washington sells the 190 and 151 proof now; when I was in College we had to drive over to Idaho to buy it.

Regardless, I don't think it matters if the alcohol is 151 proof or 101 proof, if a college kid (or anyone for that matter) chooses to pound a whole bottle there is a good chance an ER visit is in their future. Like Brad said, you can't protect the stupid.

[Cmurfs73]

It is available in Virginia by permit only(190proof). Basically you have to be registered with the state to buy it. The funny thing is they will sell stagg,151 and other high proof items but will not allow the sale of the 151 everclear at all. It has been brought to countless listings with the ABC Board and they continually say NO!

[IowaJeff]

I thought I would update you all on this. They didn't go as far as a ban, but they did manage to make pain-in-the-ass regulations that will not have any positive effect on the 'problem' of Everclear and high proof spirits. Here is a link to the ABC's recommendations. http://iowaabd.com/files/client_files/481/1841/hca_recommendations.pdf

They want to cap proof at 151. That was the highest proof of anything available in IA already, so . . . whatever.

Limit the size of products over 100 proof to 750. No more litre's of WT. No mini bottles. Can I buy 10 750 bottles of Everclear? Sure. 1 1.75 litre? Nope. If I want to make lemoncella and just need a 375 of Everclear I can't do it. Makes no sense.

Registration for purchases of products over 100 proof. I really hope they do something with this. As they propose it, I would have to register when I buy a single bottle of WT RB. But if the guy behind me is buying 5 bottles of Hawkeye and 5 bottles of 5 oclock, he doesn't need to. This needs some work. In the public comment I submitted, I suggested registration (like when buying a keg) if you purchase a certain quantity of alcohol. Then, if someone bought, say 3 bottles of Everclear, or 6 bottles of Hawkeye (or whatever they set the bar at), you would have to register. To be fair, if you buy that quantity of alcohol of canned beer you would have to register. This is imperfect, but at least fair across the board and would put purchasers on notice that if the alcohol is provided to minors or used illegally they are on record for making the purchase.

An education program for college kids is fine. But the necktag on high content products warning of the risks is just a neon sign pointing at Everclear saying 'buy me' for people looking to get wasted. I don't think anyone is buying Everclear under the impression that it is just like 80 proof vodka.

Classic regulation with a samurai sword instead of an exacto knife.