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State Representative Jim Buchy
Make a New
Years Resolution-Stop Black-out Beer
Ohio’s growing craft beer industry has likely been a subject of your
Christmas discussions. You may have even sampled many of Ohio’s
fine products. We should continue to promote that growth but we
must be mindful of the dangers of beer over 12% alcohol by volume
(ABV). Beer over 12% ABV, which is Ohio’s current limit will have
a very different impact on the human brain and body than our average
light beer or craft beers currently on the market. We must work
to ensure the growing industry remains a positive force on Ohio’s
economy.
My New Years Resolution is to stop the movement for easy access to
drugs and highly intoxicating substances. When you think about
the impacts of beer over 12% ABV, it is very easy to understand why
some people call this type of alcohol black-out beer. Some
legislators want to legalize black-out beer so that consumers can have
more options. Unfortunately, this is a move that could jeopardize
the future of this very important industry.
To understand why this is a problem you have to consider the impacts of
ABV on a person’s body when they drink. Alcohol by Volume is the
percentage of alcohol per specific amount of an alcoholic beverage,
directly measured by the level of pure ethanol present in 100
milliliters of a beverage at 20 degrees Celsius (or 68 degrees
Fahrenheit). To make this simple, the higher the ABV the more similar
this product is to the ethanol in our regular gasoline used to fill up
our cars. As the level increases the impact on our bodies
multiplies.
Legislators interested in increasing the ABV limit in Ohio are
considering an increase to 21% ABV. This would be nearly double
our current limit which has provided consumers many different beer
options. This increase would allow for a 12 oz. beer that,
according to the Cleveland Clinic Blood Alcohol Content Calculator,
could possibly leave a normal 150 lb person unable to safely and
legally operate a motor vehicle if consumed over three hours. To
provide some perspective, that same person could have drank up to 4
average light beers in that same amount of time and they may be
considered safe and legal to drive.
Alcohol consumption should remain a decision left to responsible adults
over the age of 21. Allowing a beer with this level of potency on
the market raises concerns because of the potential for an unsuspecting
individual to consume large quantities of this type of beer without
proper notice of the potential consequences. Like with any alcohol
product discretion and safety should be paramount.
Responsible legislative measures to improve the craft beer industry
should remain a focus. We have taken a number of these steps in
the past several years, including the creation of the A-1c permit that
allows for a smaller brewer to compete outside of the normal constrains
of Ohio’s major brewers. In addition, we have legalized
entertainment districts to allow for the open consumption of beer in
certain designated areas and the ability to consume alcoholic beverages
on the popular pedal wagons found in certain parts of Ohio.
I have made it a resolution this new year to stop the movement for easy
access to drugs and highly intoxicating substances. You can learn more
about my new year’s resolution and join the effort by visiting
tinyurl.com/buchystandingstrong
Please give me your opinion on this topic and others in the news this
month by completing an online survey at tinyurl.com/buchyjanuary2016
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