Colorado Democratic lawmakers are reviving a proposal to raise money for addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery programs by imposing new fees on alcoholic beverages. The bill, expected to be introduced in the Colorado House, would charge manufacturers and wholesale distributors $0.26 per bottle of spirits, $0.05 per bottle of wine, and approximately $0.03 per six-pack of beer. Small breweries would be exempt. Fees would not take effect until July 2027. As of 2024, Colorado had some of the highest per-capita alcohol consumption in the U.S., and the 7th highest rate of alcohol-induced deaths, according to the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment.
Funding Structure and Scope
The proposed enterprise fees—not considered taxes under state law—would be collected by the Colorado Department of Revenue and distributed by an oversight board to prevention, treatment, and recovery programs specifically for alcohol-related substance use disorders. Colorado caps revenue from enterprise fees at $20 million annually; by creating three separate fees for beer, wine, and spirits, sponsors hope to raise up to $60 million per year in total. Prevention services would include early intervention programs, community outreach, and impaired driving deterrence efforts. Treatment services would cover inpatient, residential, detoxification, and crisis stabilization programs. Recovery service funding would help expand access to programs incorporating behavioral health treatment, including family or community-based approaches.
Legislative Challenges and Opposition
State Rep. Jamie Jackson of Aurora and State Sen. Judy Amabile of Boulder sponsor the bill. Jackson stated: “We’re talking about a billion-dollar industry annually, billions of dollars, and I think it’s really time for us to put people over profits.” Advocates emphasize the funding is desperately needed as lawmakers prepare to make deep cuts to balance an $850 million state budget deficit. However, the proposal will likely face pushback, including from Governor Jared Polis, who opposed a similar 2024 measure due to concerns about consumer price increases and pressure to exempt large beer companies. The Colorado Brewers Guild expressed skepticism, saying the fees would “continue to harm Colorado’s craft breweries at a time when they are already struggling with rising costs and softening demand.” Similar concerns came from the Colorado Association for Viticulture & Enology and the Colorado Distillers Guild.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://sentinelcolorado.com/metro/aurora-boulder-legislators-want-to-charge-new-fees-on-beer-wine-and-spirits-to-fund-addiction-services/