Alcohol Seller-Server Training Resources

The following alcohol seller-server training resources are designed to provide alcohol service employees with up-to-date information on alcohol safety:

  • Federal & State
  • Misc Resources
  • Glossary
  • Misc Sites

Federal & State Alcohol Safety Boards and Sites

Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
http://www.abcboard.state.al.us/

Alaska Department of Public Safety, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
http://www.dps.state.ak.us/abc/

Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control
http://www.azliquor.gov/

Arkansas Alcohol Beverage Control
http://www.arkansas.gov/dfa/abcadministration/index.html

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF)
http://www.atf.gov/
This Web site provides information on the BATF, its programs, and publications.

California Alcoholic Beverage Control:
http://www.abc.ca.gov/

Colorado Department of Revenue - Liquor Enforcement Division:
http://www.revenue.state.co.us/liquor_dir/home.asp

Community Orientated Policing Services (COPS)
http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/
COPS is the Federal office that coordinates community policing efforts. The Web site includes information on COPS grantees and innovative programs and resources on community policing. Resources include promising practices, curriculum, publications, and links to other community policing Web sites.

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection - Liquor Control Division
http://www.ct.gov/dcp/site/default.asp

CopNet
http://www.copnet.org/index.html
This comprehensive Web site for law enforcement officers provides a variety of resources, including a directory of law enforcement agencies on the Web, criminal justice Web resources, and legal Web resources.

Hawaii - Honolulu Liquor Commission (City and County)
http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/liq/

Hawaii: County of Kauai Liquor Commission
http://www.kauai.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=54

Hawaii: County of Maui Department of Liquor Control
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/departments/Liquor/

Hawaii: Department of Liquor Control, County of Hawaii
http://www.hawaii-county.com/directory/dir_liquor.htm

Idaho State Liquor Dispensary, Alcoholic Beverage Control Division
http://www2.state.id.us/isld

Illinois Liquor Control Commission:
http://www.state.il.us/lcc

Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission
http://www.in.gov/atc/

Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division
http://www.iowaabd.com/

Justice Information Center (NCJRS)
http://www.ncjrs.org/
This extensive Web site serves as a clearinghouse for a number of Federal criminal justice agencies. One can access full-text documents, find related links, and search a bibliographic database of criminal justice research. The OJJDP document, Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Program: A Compendium of Resources, is available full-text on this site.

Kansas Department of Revenue Alcoholic Beverage Control:
http://www.ksrevenue.org/abc.htm

Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control
http://www.atc.rev.state.la.us/

Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations
http://www.maine.gov/dafs/bablo/

Maryland - Montgomery County Dept. Of Liquor Control
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlctmpl.asp?url=/content/dlc/liquor/home/index.asp

Maryland Office of the Comptroller of the Treasury
http://www.comp.state.md.us

Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission
http://www.state.ma.us/abcc/

Michigan Liquor Control Commission
http://www.michigan.gov/cis/0,1607,7-154-10570---,00.html

Minnesota Alcohol & Gambling Enforcement:
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/alcgamb/alcgamb.html

Minneapolis Alcohol Service Training Resources

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/licensing/alcohol/business-licensing_liquor_alcohol_service_training_resources

Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control
http://www.atc.dps.mo.gov/index.htm

Montana Liquor License Bureau
http://www.discoveringmontana.com/revenue/forbusinesses/alcohol.asp

National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
http://www.ncpc.org/
NCPC's online resource center provides information on NCPC's programs, publications, and media campaigns. In addition, one can find factsheets and program ideas on crime prevention areas, such as neighborhood organizing, youth mobilization, and bias crime. Crime prevention links for law enforcement, children, and adults are also included.

National Liquor Law Enforcement Association
http://www.nllea.org/
The National Liquor Law Enforcement Association (NLLEA) is a non-profit association of law enforcement personnel dedicated to the enforcement of liquor laws and regulations.

Nebraska Liquor Control Commission:
http://www.lcc.ne.gov/

Nevada: Department of Taxation
http://tax.state.nv.us/
All beverage alcohol permits are regulated by each individual county.

New Hampshire State Liquor Commission
http://webster.state.nh.us/liquor/

New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/abc/index.html

New Mexico Department of Public Safety, Special Investigations Division
http://www.dps.nm.org/lawEnforcement/sid/index.php

New York Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control State Liquor Authority:
http://www.abc.state.ny.us/

North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission
http://www.ncabc.com/

North Carolina Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement
http://www.nccrimecontrol.org/Index2.cfm?a=000003,000005,000272,000273

North Dakota Office of the State Tax Commissioner, Alcohol Tax Section
http://www.nd.gov/tax/alcohol/

Office on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/index.html
The Web site provides information about the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Initiative and its other programs and publications.

Ohio Department of Commerce, Division Of Liquor Control
http://www.state.oh.us/lco

Oklahoma ABLE Commission:
http://www.able.state.ok.us/

Oklahoma Tax Commission
http://www.oktax.state.ok.us/oktax/

Oregon Liquor Control Commission
http://www.oregon.gov/OLCC/index.shtml

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (Control State):
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/

Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Liquor Control Administration
http://www.dbr.state.ri.us/divisions/commlicensing/liquor.php

Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics Online
http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/
The Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics, compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, brings together data about all aspects of criminal justice in the United States presented in over 600 tables from more than 100 sources. The online version is maintained and updated more frequently than the print version.

South Dakota Department of Revenue, Division of Special Taxes & Licensing
http://www.state.sd.us/revenue/revenue.html

Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission:
http://www.state.tn.us/abc

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/

Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
http://www.alcbev.state.ut.us/

Vermont Department of Liquor Control
http://www.state.vt.us/dlc/

Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (Control State):
http://www.abc.state.va.us/

Washington Business License Services, Department of Licensing
http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/licensing.html

Wisconsin Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement, Department of Revenue
http://www.dor.state.wi.us/

Wyoming Liquor Commission
http://revenue.state.wy.us/

Alcohol Safety Glossary and Acronyms

ABC - Alcoholic Beverage Control

Absolute alcohol - ethyl alcohol that contains no more than one percent by weight of water -- also called dehydrated alcohol.

Acute alcohol problem - Problem resulting from the ingestion of a certain acute dose of alcohol and perhaps in a particular context or circumstance, but not from chronic ingestion.

Addiction - dependence on a substance (such as alcohol or other drugs) or an activity, to the point that stopping is very difficult and causes severe physical and mental reactions.

Aggregate consumption level - Specifically, the level of alcohol consumption within the population, expressed in terms of overall consumption and per capita consumption.

Alcohol - the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors; drink (as whiskey or beer) containing ethanol.

Alcoholics Anonymous - a worldwide organization devoted to the treatment of alcoholism through self-help groups and adherence to its principles.

Alcoholic - one affected with alcoholism.

Alcoholism - continued excessive or compulsive use of alcoholic drinks; a chronic, progressive, potentially fatal, psychological and nutritional disorder associated with excessive and usually compulsive drinking of ethanol and characterized by frequent intoxication leading to dependence on or addiction to the substance, impairment of the ability to work and socialize, destructive behaviors (as drunken driving), tissue damage (as cirrhosis of the liver), and severe withdrawal symptoms upon detoxification.

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy- heart damage and failure caused by intake of too much alcohol.

Alcoholic cirrhosis - a disease involving scarring and deterioration of liver cells as a result of chronic alcohol abuse.

Alcohol control policy - A set of regulations and other measures restricting or otherwise controlling the production and sale of alcoholic beverages, often administered by specific government agencies.

Alcoholic dementia - a condition in which chronic alcohol abuse produces cognitive deficits such as difficulties in problem solving and memory.

Alcohol dependence - A need for repeated doses of alcohol to feel good or to avoid feeling bad.

Alcohol hepatitis- A disease involving inflammation of the liver as a result of chronic alcohol abuse.

Alcohol-related harm - Any of the range of adverse effects of drinking alcohol experienced by the drinker or by other people.

Alcohol tolerance (metabolic tolerance) - need to consume larger amounts in order to feel effects, which causes the liver to become less efficient.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome - Happens within 24-96 hours from last drink. More common general reactions to the cessation of alcohol consumption in an alcoholic. It is characterized by physiological discomfort, seizures, and sleep disturbances.

Barley malt - barley after it has been soaked in water, sprouts have grown, sprouts have been removed, and the mixture has been dried and crushed to a powder.

BASSET - Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training

Beer - malt & sprouted grain, combined with water, hops, and yeast.

Binge drinking - when a woman has 4+ drinks or a man has 5+ drinks at a sitting within a 2 week period who normally do not drink.

Blackout - amnesia for events occurring during the period of alcoholic intoxication, even though consciousness had been maintained at that time.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) - the number of grams of alcohol in the blood relative to 100 mililiters of blood, expressed as a percentage.

Blood alcohol level (BAL) - the level of alcohol in your blood.

Brewing - the process of producing beer from barley grain.

Brief intervention - Specifically, a treatment strategy in which structured therapy of short duration (typically 5-30 minutes) is offered with the aim of assisting an individual to cease or reduce the use of alcohol.

Codependency - a concept that individuals who live with a person having an alcohol (or other drug) dependence suffer themselves from difficulties of self-image and social independence.

Distillation - a process by which fermented liquid is boiled then cooled, so that the condensed product contains a higher alcoholic concentration than before.

Distilled spirits - the liquid product of distillation, also knows as liquor.

Dose-response relationship - Specifically, the relationship between alcohol consumption and a range of positive and negative consequences for the individual and society, including physical illnesses, accidents, violence and mortality.

Drinking pattern - The pattern of drinking, including frequency of drinking and quantity drunk per occasion and over time. The pattern represented by the average intake of alcohol per day or year.

DUI - abbreviation for driving under the influence (of drugs or alcohol); each state varies in their definition and percentage.

DWI - abbreviation for driving while intoxicated; each state varies in their definition and percentage.

Drunk driving - The act of driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The criminal action of driving a vehicle with a blood-alcohol level (BAL) over a specified limit.

Early intervention - A therapeutic strategy that combines early detection of hazardous or harmful alcohol use and treatment of those involved. Treatment is offered or provided before such time as patients might present of their own volition and in many cases before they are aware that their alcohol use might cause problems. It is directed particularly at individuals who have not developed physical dependence or major psychosocial complications.

Ethyl or Ethanol alcohol - the product of fermentation of natural sugars. It is generally referred to simply as alcohol.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) - a highly variable group of birth defects including mental retardation, deficient growth, and defects of the skull, face, and brain that tend to occur in the infants of women who consume large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy.

Fetal alcohol effect (FAE) - a cognitive deficiency in the offspring of an alcoholic mother. It is considered less serious than FAS.

Fermentation - the process of converting natural sugars into ethyl alcohol by the action of yeast. Natural stopping point is at 15%.

Fortification - the process of adding alcohol to increase content percentage.

Hangover - withdrawal symptoms from prior alcohol consumption (ex. headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach irritation..)

Harmful use - Specifically, a pattern of alcohol use that causes damage to health. The damage may be physical (e.g. liver cirrhosis following alcohol use) or psychological (e.g. depressive episodes secondary to heavy alcohol intake).

Hazardous use - Specifically, a pattern of alcohol use that increases the risk of harmful consequences for the user. Some would limit the consequences to physical and mental health (as in harmful use); some would also include social consequences. In contrast to harmful use, hazardous use refers to patterns of use that are of public health significance despite the absence of any current disorder in the individual user.

Intoxication - over indulgence in alcoholic beverages.

Legal drinking age - The age below which people are prohibited by law from purchasing alcohol.\

Mutual-help group - Specifically, a group in which participants support each other in recovering or maintaining recovery from alcohol dependence or problems, or from the effects of another's dependence, without professional therapy or guidance.

Prohibition - Specifically, a policy under which the cultivation, manufacture, and/or sale (and sometimes use) of alcohol is forbidden (although pharmaceutical sales are usually permitted).

RBS - Responsible Beverage Service

Reverse tolerance - one who needs less of the substance to feel the effects.

TABC - Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

VASAP - Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program

Werniche-Korsakoff Syndrome - a condition resulting from chronic alcohol consumption characterized by disorientation, cognitive deficits, amnesia, and motor difficulty.

Wine - made from a variety of ingredients which is then fermented where the alcohol level is 12-18% naturally unless fortified.