PA DUI Association Opposes Any Effort To Expand And Privatize Liquor Sales

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania DUI Association opposes any and all attempts to privatize liquor sales in the state, including the bills up for a committee vote next week: House Bill 438 from Representatives Mike Turzai and Mike Reese; and House Bill 991 from House Liquor Control Committee Chairman Adam Harris.

HB 438 increases the sale of spirits-to-go, allowing 12,000 retail and hotel licensees to sell up to 3,000 milliliters (roughly 4 bottles) of alcohol for off-site consumption. HB 991 adds private agency stores to the system, which would increase the number of liquor stores from 600 to 2,600.

"These bills are directly antithetical to the mission of the PA DUI Association," said Executive Director Stephen Erni. "We work every day to prevent highway crashes and fatalities caused by impaired driving. An increase and privatization of liquor sales will assuredly increase consumption, a detriment to public health and safety."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also recommends against the privatization of liquor sales by states.

A 2012 report from the Task Force on Community Preventative Services examined 21 studies on the impact of alcohol privatization on the per capital consumption of alcoholic beverages, measured by increases in alcohol sales tax and tax data. These studies found a median increase of 48 percent in alcohol consumption after privatizing.

"We do not need a liquor store on every corner. We do not need to turn every nuisance bar into a retail outlet for wine or spirits," Erni added. "We are urging lawmakers to reject all reckless proposals to further expand the retail sale of wine and spirits to go."

The Pennsylvania Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Association is a professional organization which is working to address the DUI problem in all of its many stages — from prevention to enforcement up to, and including, adjudication and rehabilitation.

The association provides information, direction, training and support with the purpose of working toward the elimination of impaired drivers and the harm that they can cause.

For more information, please visit www.padui.org.

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SOURCE Pennsylvania DUI Association