Why should I take the pledge?
Oregon is in the midst of an addiction crisis that kills 6-7 people a day and alcohol is by far the largest contributor to this crisis, accounting for 5 of those deaths each day. The crisis effects Oregonians of all ages with Oregon maintaining the 3rd highest rate of untreated addiction and the 7th highest rate of underage drinking in the nation. The toll cannot only be measured in lives lost but also in the economic burden addiction places on the state, costing Oregon $6.7 billion dollars in 2017 alone. Addiction treatment accounted for less than 1% of this total with the remainder going towards the burden on healthcare, incarceration, and foster care systems among others.
While we recognize the contributions of Oregon's beer and wine producers to the state's culture and economy, big alcohol has maintained an overwhelming influence in Salem. Most notably, taxes on beer and wine have not increased since 1977 and 1983 respectively. The time is now to take a stand against big alcohol and the harm it's caused to so many Oregonians. By refusing to accept alcohol industry contributions, Oregon's elected officials can prioritize combatting Oregon's addiction crisis, saving lives and state dollars.
