Besides this obvious form of alcohol control, there are still often byzantine laws that govern how and when alcohol can be bought and sold that vary widely state to state and have unclear, if any, empirical connection with public health.
Blue laws prohibit alcohol sales on Sundays and not only restrict alcohol sales but are responsible for the closing of businesses entirely. Alcohol policy after the 21st Amendment, which overturned Prohibition in , was not only delegated to the states but was also frequently pushed down even further to the town, city, and county level. Legalizing alcohol was popular — 74 percent of the nation voted to repeal Prohibition — yet some Americans held onto the dream of a totally dry country.
Some 18 states officially continued Prohibition, though most allowed some sort of opt-out. Kansas only lifted statewide Prohibition in , while it took Mississippi until to become fully wet.
The entire regulatory architecture for alcohol at the federal level encourages the business to be dispersed. This system also gives leeway to states and localities to step in at any point in the chain of companies from brewers to retailers, whether by restricting where and when retail or wholesale sales can happen or by limiting it to a small number or even one state-licensed or state-run company.
While taxes on alcohol can discourage heavy drinking and, of course, raise revenue , state control over distribution serves more nebulous ends.
But the laws have given researchers the opportunity to study their effects. But even their evidence was mixed. Today, there are still several states with both a mix of wet and dry counties. While alcohol sales are restricted, you can drink in a dry county. The 21 st amendment repealed prohibition, and the local governments do not have the power to ban alcohol altogether. Although people in a dry county cannot buy alcohol within this area, they can still drink legally in the comfort of their home.
Alcohol abuse is a common problem throughout the United States. It is estimated that While alcohol dry counties have stricter laws than most, some evidence suggests that these areas are not any safer.
Some people believe that this type of buying habit leads to binge drinking. The tax revenue that could be generated by alcohol sales in Faulkner county could go directly back into the community, yet as long as Faulkner County remains dry, its residents will never see those potential tax revenues, and the same argument can be made for dry counties across the entire state.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Central Arkansas nor are they endorsed by the University of Central Arkansas.
ACRE does not campaign for, promote, advocate, or support specific political parties or political candidates. UCA dedicates itself to academic vitality, integrity, and diversity. Dry counties are home to approximately 1.
In many states with dry counties, laws restricting the sale of alcohol have long preceded national prohibition. Georgia, for example, first banned statewide alcohol sales in , 12 years before the 18th Amendment and national prohibition went into effect.
Mississippi first passed a statewide ban on alcohol sales in , 13 years before national prohibition. The majority of dry counties are located in the South, where religious beliefs echoing the Temperance Movement , which in the s pushed for reduced alcohol consumption across the nation, continue to drive anti-alcohol sentiment. In other counties, the decision to ban alcohol may be related to public health.
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