WSLS

The Virginia ABC recently awarded over $60,000 in Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) Alcohol Education and Prevention grants to various organizations.
The VA ABC believes that these grants will assist in preventing high-risk drinking and its negative impacts on communities across the commonwealth.
“Virginia ABC’s Community Health and Engagement Division works to eliminate underage and high-risk drinking by building the capacity of community groups to educate individuals and prevent alcohol misuse. We look forward to partnering with these grantees to positively impact the communities they serve.”

Here are the grantees for 2025-2026:

• Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare - $10,000: BRBH will partner with five substance abuse prevention coalitions through the BRBH Prevention and Wellness Division to reach Roanoke Valley residents. 
• Carl’s Care - $4,433: This project in Suffolk aims to prevent high-risk drinking among domestic violence survivors by providing education and support to reduce alcohol misuse as a coping mechanism.
• Christopher Newport University - $10,000: This project will establish a designated substance use prevention workgroup at Christopher Newport University under the Wellness Action Team for Captain’s Health (W.A.T.C.H.).
• Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services - $10,000: The Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services, the Regional Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention and partners will address underage drinking and driving among young people aged 15-17. 
• Mount Rogers Community Services - $4,444: This initiative will promote alcohol prevention across audiences of all ages through two strategies, including a digital campaign focused on underage drinking prevention and a regional wellness fair.
• Tidewater Community College - $7,500: Trained students will participate and host engaging events and activities that educate their peers on the risks of underage and excessive drinking.
• Virginia State University Public Health Institute - $10,000: “Motivated, Educated and Empowered” will be an in-person education program offered bi-monthly to 70 students in Petersburg City Public Schools, aged 14-18.
• Word of Life International Church - $4,250: Word of Life’s program is designed to combat the problem of underage drinking in Fairfax County through the combined utilization of education and mentorship.

By Toby Robertson
Altavista Journal News Correspondent   
Altavista Police Chief Tommy Merricks says, “In a collaborative effort to combat underage drinking, the Altavista Police Depart partnered with Virginia ABC, the Altavista YMCA, Altavista High School, and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department to bring Project Sticker Shock to the Altavista community on April 9th and 10th.”
Project Sticker Shock is a statewide campaign aimed at discouraging adults from providing alcohol to minors and preventing youth from using fake IDs to purchase alcohol. The initiative involved placing bright, eye-catching stickers and window clings on alcohol cases and store windows to remind customers of the serious legal consequences of supplying alcohol to underage individuals.
“With spring break approaching and prom season just around the corner, this is an ideal time to raise awareness and remind the community of the risk and responsibilities related to underage drinking,” Merricks. “It’s great we can work together for such a worthwhile project for the community.” 
The success of Project Sticker Shock relies heavily on collaboration, and Altavista’s efforts reflect a strong partnership between law enforcement, local school, retailers and youth organizations. By working together, these groups are sending a clear message: preventing underage drinking is a shared responsibility. 
Chief Merricks extends his gratitude to all participating agencies and students for making the project a reality and contributing to a safer community. 
On Wednesday April 9 and Thursday April 10 students in Haley Wolgamot journalism students visited ABC-licensed retailers along Main Street to place the warning materials. The stickers clearly state the penalties for underage alcohol purchases and fake ID use, including fines and potential jail time. Stores visited were: Apple Market, One Stop Market, CVS, GB, A Mart, KDR, and Express Lane to place stickers on coolers. 
Wolgamot explains that she got involved with the project after Chief Merricks reached out to the Principal Stefanie Anderson, looking for a group of students to work with to implement Project Sticker Shock. Anderson reached out to Nuntis staff. Project Sticker Shock is an initiative sponsored by the VA ABC Authority to bring awareness of underage alcohol consumption and its adverse effects. Wolgamot’s journalism students embraced this project, several having stories of family members who have been impacted negatively by alcohol, mostly car accidents. She was pleased to see the maturity in which they approached this project. It is her hope that seeing these stickers will deter underage drinking and lead to safe roads and healthier teenagers and young adults. 
Josiah Monroe, a student at ACS, said he thinks it is important you know that alcohol has a negative effect on our brains and it can become very addictive at an early age because our brains aren’t fully developed.
Jayla Elam, another student at ACS said “The stickers are bright so it’s going to catch people’s attention and it’s going to really make them think this can affect their life.” 
Students helping with the initiative said they hope it makes a difference.
Lucinda Davis, owner for 20 years at One Stop Market said she is happy to help spread the word. Davis adds, “You have to check ID’s, because people look older or younger. You can’t tell the age. You’re not only protecting yourself, you’re protecting them and protecting everybody else’s family, because people don’t realize that not only does it hurt themselves, but they could go out there and hurt an innocent person.”
Penalties for the violator include a Class 1 misdemeanor, and a maximum penalty for that is 12 months in jail or a $2,500 fine. The person who sells the alcohol, the clerk in the store, could be subject to a Class 1 misdemeanor as well, but the stores are also subject to civil penalties. If they’ve had previous offenses, it could cost them $10,000 for one instance of selling to an underage person. They just want people to know that there are consequences with your actions. 
The majority of youth do not pay for the alcohol they drink and their most common source of alcohol is an unrelated person age 21 or older. Giving alcohol to youth is called social providing. Underage drinkers may also use fake ID to purchase alcohol. 
The students want to thank One Stop markets for the food and drinks.

March 25, 2025 7:41 am
The Distilled Spirits of the United States (DISCUS) today issued a call to action in partnership with the Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition as uncertainty about tariffs continues. A DISCUS petition campaign urging the administration not to impose tariffs on spirits generated nearly 13,000 signatures earlier this year.
Now, Spirits United is expanding its campaign efforts with the Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition, a group of 54 associations representing the entire three-tier chain of the U.S. alcohol industry and related industries. The new campaign urges the administration to secure fair and reciprocal tariff-free trade with our key trading partners. Consumers, distillers, vintners, the hospitality and retail sectors, and other industry stakeholders can take action here.
“The coalition is urging everyone connected to the spirits and wine industries, from bartenders, consumers, manufacturers, farmers, importers and exporters, to tell the administration that tariffs on distilled spirits and wines put American jobs at risk and must be eliminated,” said Chris Swonger, DISCUS President and CEO. “Securing fair and reciprocal tariff-free trade with our key trading partners will lead to an increase in U.S. wine and spirits exports and investments, and U.S. job growth. We need toasts, not tariffs!”


BACKGROUND

• Nearly 86% of U.S. spirits exports go to countries that have eliminated tariffs on all U.S. spirits, and approximately 98% of spirits imports originate from countries that have eliminated tariffs on U.S. spirits.
• U.S. spirits have achieved duty-free (zero-for-zero) access with 51 trading partners.
• Most U.S. wine exports go to countries with low or zero import duties.
• Now: Canada is imposing a 25% tariff on American spirits and wines and has pulled these products off store shelves in most provinces.
• April 2: The U.S. could impose 25% tariffs on tequila, mezcal and Canadian whisky, when the current suspension expires.
• April 2: The U.S. could impose tariffs on wines and spirits from a range of countries, including a 200% tariff on European Union (EU) alcohol products.
• April 13: The EU’s previously imposed 25% tariff on American whiskeys is currently suspended. However, if there is no agreement on steel and aluminum, tariffs are scheduled to be reinstated at 50%. The EU could also impose tariffs on additional categories of U.S. spirits and wines.

We urge President Trump to lift the tariffs on Mexican and Canadian distilled spirits and wine due to the special nature of our products. We commend the administration’s objectives to protect the American people and support jobs in the United States, however, we are concerned these tariffs will not contribute to that effort.
Many wine and spirits categories, such as Tequila and Bourbon, are designated as distinctive products that can only be produced in certain geographical regions around the world. As a result, the production of these products cannot simply be moved to another country or region.
American wines and spirits have benefitted from fair and reciprocal trade with Canada and Mexico. These U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada will result in great harm to U.S. companies and employees throughout the wine and spirits supply chain, from restaurants, bars and retail outlets, to shippers and importers/exporters of spirits and wine products. We are also greatly troubled that U.S. alcohol products are being removed from Canadian stores as a result of this trade dispute and will now also face retaliatory tariffs in Canada.
U.S. wines and spirits are made with agricultural products sourced from farmers across the United States. Our products are key pillars of the U.S. hospitality industry supporting restaurants and bars across the country. Sales of wine and spirits in the U.S. have slowed in recent years, and restaurants in cities across the country continue to try to stabilize post Covid. Hitting wine and spirits with tariffs will further stall their recovery and hurt U.S. consumers.
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The Toasts Not Tariffs Coalition is a group of 52 associations representing the entire three-tier chain of the U.S. alcohol industry and related industries.

Distilled Spirits Council Annual Economic Briefing:

The Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) reported today that U.S. spirits maintained its market share while revenues slipped in 2024 and warned that tariffs on spirits would further curtail industry growth, during its annual economic briefing for media and analysts.
“While the spirits industry has proven to be resilient during tough times, it is certainly not immune to disruptive economic forces and marketplace challenges, and that was definitely the case in 2024,” said DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger. 
Swonger reported that spirits supplier sales in the United States were down -1.1% in 2024 totaling $37.2 billion, while volumes rose 1.1% to 312.2 million 9-liter cases.
For the third year in a row, the spirits sector maintained its market share lead in 2024. Spirits market share totaled 42.2%, with gains for more than two decades. The spirits sector has gained more than 13 points of market share since 2000. Each point represents $880 million in supplier revenue.
Swonger noted that spirit sales were still continuing to normalize following the robust sales spikes during the pandemic, and economic headwinds including high prices and inflation rates created additional challenges for the industry.
“Consumers were contending with some of the highest prices and interest rates in decades, which put a strain on their wallets and forced many to reduce spending on little luxuries like distilled spirits,” said Swonger.  “Our sales dipped slightly but consumers continued to choose spirits and enjoy a cocktail with family and friends.”
Swonger noted that higher interest rates also impacted the three-tier supply chain with wholesalers and retailers continuing to deplete inventory build ups and cautiously restock products.
CONSUMER DEMAND REMAINS STRONG FOR SPIRITS RTDs AND HIGH-END TEQUILA/MEZCAL 
Presenting an overview of the spirits sales trends in 2024, Christine LoCascio, DISCUS chief, policy, strategy & membership, reported that despite the overall slowdown, spirits ready-to-drink (RTD) products and Tequila/Mezcal continued to grow in popularity in 2024, with sales up 16.5% and 2.9%, respectively.
TOP 5 SPIRITS CATEGORIES BY REVENUE IN 2024: 

• Vodka sales flat totaling $7.2 billion
• Tequila/Mezcal sales up 2.9% totaling $6.7 billion
• American Whiskey sales down -1.8% totaling $5.2 billion
• Cordials sales down -3.6% totaling $2.8 billion
• Premixed cocktails including spirits RTDs up 16.5% to $3.3 billion

2024 POLICY WINS & 2025 POLICY PRIORITIES
In the public policy arena, Swonger highlighted a number of important victories in 2024 at the federal and state levels including:

• The suspension of the EU’s retaliatory tariff on American Whiskeys until March 31, 2025
• Wins on spirits RTDs in three states​
• Defeated tax threats in 11 states​
• Third party delivery enacted in Delaware & Maryland
• Tastings laws expanded in Ohio & West Virginia
• Cocktails to-go permanency in five new states, plus a 5-year extension in New York

Swonger also outlined DISCUS’ priorities for 2025 including:

• Advocating for the permanent suspension of retaliatory tariffs on spirits products
• Ensuring the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are based on the preponderance of scientific evidence
• Fairer tax treatment and increased retail access for RTD products in the states
• Defending against hospitality tax threats
• Expanding marketplace modernizations including cocktails to-go and direct-to-consumer shipping

DISCUS WARNS TARIFFS ARE A KEY THREAT TO THE VITALITY OF THE SPIRITS SECTOR
During the briefing, DISCUS discussed the recent tariff threats impacting spirits imports and exports, and sounded the alarm over the scheduled reimposition and doubling of the EU’s tariff on American Whiskey to 50% on April 1 related to the steel and aluminum trade dispute.
“One of the most critical issues facing U.S. distillers in 2025 is the threat of tariffs,” said Swonger. “Since the suspension of the EU’s tariffs on American Whiskey, our exports have rebounded to record highs. The reimposition of these tariffs at a 50% rate would gut this growth and do irreparable harm to distillers large and small. It would be a catastrophic blow that will force many distillers out of our largest export market.”
Special guest speaker, Sonat Birnecker Hart, president and founder of KOVAL Distillery in Chicago, underscored the devastating impact tariffs have had on small craft distillers.
“These tariffs have wreaked havoc on our craft distilling community,” said Birnecker Hart. “Many craft distillers have expended great time, effort and resources to expand into international markets only to see their dreams shattered by tariffs that have absolutely nothing to do with our industry.  The return of tariffs will not only hurt my distillery but my local farmer too, and this pain will be felt in towns and cities across the country where 3,000 small craft distilleries are boosting jobs, tourism and agriculture.”
Swonger said the global spirits industry is united in urging their respective governments to continue to negotiate to ensure that spirits products do not get caught up in trade disputes.
“The global spirits associations are working side-by-side to urge our governments to exclude distilled spirits from these trade disputes,” said Swonger. “Tariffs on spirits not only harm distillers, they also severely impact farmers and hospitality businesses including restaurants and bars, which are continuing their fragile recovery after the pandemic. We are making our case to the Trump administration that our industry has thrived with zero-for-zero tariffs and that distilled spirits’ ‘distinctive products’ status, which is recognized by the U.S. and our trading partners, means that these special spirits can only be made in their designated countries.”
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SUPPORTING MATERIALS:
DISCUS Annual Economic Briefing Presentation – 2024
Economic Briefing Support Tables – 2024