Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission

by Joy Spencer OLCC debuts two Public Service Announcements for the holidays The OLCC has launched a campaign to promote responsible drinking during the holidays. The campaign features two 30-second public service announcements aimed at reminding Oregonians that holiday drinking and party planning can be handled in a responsible and sensible manner so that fun and safety can be part of the holiday mix. “We want folks to have a fun, memorable holiday season. And we want them to remember it for all the right reasons,” says Rudy Williams, OLCC Deputy Director of the Public Safety Services Program. “We’re proud to say this is the third year we've partnered with local industry representatives to provide important messages about drinking responsibly during the holidays.” Safe Oregon Holidays highlights features prominent Oregon landmarks such as the State Capital, downtown Hood River, the Hawthorne Bridge and Haystack Rock. The spot will run on Oregon’s CBS affiliate, KOIN-6, and is

by Joy Spencer The OLCC is distributing over 100,000 “Test Your Alcohol IQ” drink coasters to bars, taverns and restaurants all over the state. These colorful coasters are intended to get people’s attention while they’re eating and drinking. There are five coasters (red, purple, blue, green and orange) in each set. “This is a way for the OLCC to reach the general public in a way that is both entertaining and educational,” says Rudy Williams, Deputy Director of the Public Safety Services Program. “This is a fun way to get the public’s attention and get them thinking about being responsible for their own alcohol consumption.” Each coaster has three multiple choice trivia questions on the front plus a “did you know” fact on the back with the answers. Some trivia carry a more serious tone such as “On average, how many people in Oregon get DUIIs in a year?” or “In Oregon, the cost to taxpayers of alcohol-related injuries and fatalities is:” Some questions are more amusing such a

by Christie Scott At a special meeting, the Commissioners of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission voted 4-1 in favor of banning alcoholic energy drinks from being sold in the state of Oregon . The decision came as a result of new information regarding OLCC’s legal options concerning alcoholic energy drinks as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent ruling. Chairman Philip Lang says the OLCC has been concerned about the health risks of these products for some time. According to Lang, "It’s unfortunate that so many young people around the country were hurt by these products. We’re glad that we can play a role in preventing that from happening here in the future.” The seven products affected by the ban include Core High Gravity HG Green, Core High Gravity HG Orange, Lemon Lime Core Spiked, Moonshot, Four Loko, Joose, and Max, which were determined to be “adulterated” products by the FDA because they contain the “unsafe food additive” of caffeine. The ban on