Friday, December 5, 2008

Message to Pat and Mitch: (Finally) End Prohibition!

The good folks at WISH TV remind us that today marks the 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition. They also remind us that the remnants of Prohibition are still alive and well in Indiana:

From 1920 until 1933, prohibition kept Hoosiers and others throughout the nation from making or buying most alcohol. When prohibition ended states were allowed to enact their own alcohol laws.

"We're talking about, frankly, ancient history," said Grant Monahan, Indiana Retail Council.

Monahan and the Indiana Retail Council don't like the fact that Indiana law now prohibits drug, grocery and convenience stores from selling alcohol on Sundays.


If you asked any Hoosier who supported the ban on Sunday sales in the 1960's why they supported it, the reason would likely be because of religious reasons. Today, though, it has a lot more to do with profit and politics. Case in point, the response from the package liquor store lobby.

"This is just the latest proposal from the grocery, drug and gas station lobby to deregulate the sale of alcohol in our state to increase their profits. That's what it's all about," said John Livengood, Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers.


My hunch is that the IABR probably opposes allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell alcohol in any form on any day, preferring a monopoly on liquor sales. A few weeks ago one of the package liquor store owners from Indianapolis said repealing the ban on Sunday sales would give grocery and convenience chains an "unfair advantage" because it wouldn't be financially worth it for package stores to be open on Sundays.

I would like to point out that an unfair advantage would be lawmakers saying grocery and convenience chains can sell alcohol on Sundays but package stores can't. Allowing everyone to sell the same products on the same days simply levels the playing field. If the package stores don't want to open their doors on Sunday, they are free to stay closed. It is highly unlikely they will lose money by staying closed on a day they never did business on anyway.

A big reason for lifting the ban on Sunday sales is consistency. I know, politicians are terrible with consistency. I simply can't comprehend how it's okay for me to go to a bar, restaurant or sporting event and get trashed in public but not okay to buy a bottle of wine to have with Sunday dinner. Not only is it more consistent to not restrict store sales on Sunday, it may help with public safety. There would potentially be fewer drunk drivers who went to the bars instead of drinking at home, fewer public intoxication arrests, etc.

There is a group out there fighting for a repeal on the ban. Hoosiers for Beverage Choices also provides some interesting facts on their website. Among those:

  • Indiana is one of only three states that prohibits retailers from selling alcohol on Sunday yet allows restaurants, taverns and numerous sports and community events to sell alcohol by the drink on Sunday.
  • Indiana is one of only fifteen states that completely prohibits the carry-out sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays.
  • Indiana loses tax revenue when Hoosiers that live in bordering communities travel to our neighboring states to purchase alcohol on Sunday.


The last point I think is a strong one, especially in tough economic times as tax revenues fall below projections. Almost everyone I know who has lived near one of our neighboring states has participated in a 'Sunday Beer Run.' That's money leaving our state.

I strongly encourage anyone interested in consumer choice to contact your state legislative leaders and express your position. Also, send an email to Governor Daniels. While you're at it, join the Hoosiers for Beverage Choices email list for updates and sign their online petition.

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