As a compromise with the alcohol industry Rep. Tawna Sanchez has introduced HB 3377 which will require all stakeholders come together to develop a plan to raise Oregon's rock-bottom alcohol prices to reduce harmful consumption and fully fund prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services in Oregon.

Oregon has the 3rd highest untreated addiction rate in the nation, the 4th highest alcohol use disorder rate, and ranks 47th in access to treatment. Despite alcohol being the 3rd leading cause of preventable death in the state and costing taxpayers $4.8 BILLION per year, Oregon's alcohol taxes have not been raised in 40 years, significantly reducing the state's ability to fund treatment and recovery services.

HB 3377 requires the establishment of a legislative task force that includes the alcohol industry, public health experts, treatment and recovery representatives, tribes and BIPOC organizations to produce draft legislation prior to the next legislative session (February 2022) that reduces excessive alcohol use by 15% and fully funds the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission's (ADPC) Strategic Plan to address the addiction crisis.

Asking the Oregon Legislature to convene stakeholders to discuss, not “if” we should raise the price of alcohol, but “when” and by “how much” is the next right thing. Despite broad public support for raising prices, the alcohol industry--and the alcohol distributors who profit the most--will fight the idea of a bipartisan Task Force. We can’t match their political contributions but we can beat them with the support of you and everyone else who wants to end Oregon’s addiction crisis.