Repeal ban on liquor in grocery stores

Nearly a century after Prohibition, Floridians are still living with antiquated alcohol laws.

Over the last few years, the Florida Legislature has changed a few. We can now ship ourselves cases of wine, for example, and buy 64-ounce “growlers” of craft beer.

This year comes a decision on whether to let grocery stores, drugstores and big box stores — like Wal-Mart and Target — sell liquor alongside beer and wine.

The change is long overdue. It makes no sense that consumers can buy beer and wine in one store, but must walk outside and into a separate store to buy distilled spirits.

Today’s regulation protects liquor stores, but limits competition and poses a needless burden on consumers. By getting rid of this regulation, the Republicans who control Tallahassee can prove their free-market bona fides and rein in government’s tendency to pick winners and losers in the marketplace.

The current bill, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Anitere Flores of Miami, would let any package store with a liquor license sell hard liquor inside their walls. Thirty states already allow this.

This is not the first time this push has been mounted, but its chances appear better this year because the Legislature has so many new faces. The bill passed the Senate Regulated Industries committee on Thursday by a 9-1 vote, and now heads to the Rules Committee before a final floor vote. A companion House bill has also been filed.

If this bill passes, a change will also be needed in the number of stores that can obtain a liquor license. It makes no sense for consumers to be able to buy liquor at one chain store, but not at another because of the state’s licensing quota. While there’s nothing wrong with restricting liquor sales at gas station convenience stores, if you’re going to allow liquor sales in some Publix, Wal-Marts or Walgreens, allow it in them all.

Flores told the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board another bill may be filed to address that issue. For now, she’s focused on the bill to let stores sell liquor alongside beer and wine.

“This law was around more than 80 years ago with a purpose,” she said. “That purpose is long gone. It’s not our job to stand in the way of 21st Century innovation, the American entrepreneurial spirit.”

The bill’s opponents, including the Florida Independent Spirits Association, argue that allowing liquor sales in stores like Wal-Mart will lead to an increase in crime and underage drinking.

“If you have spirits readily available inside a Target or a Wal-Mart, it invites underage kids,” executive director Rory Eggers told us. “Not to mention the employees who work in those chains — they can hire anyone 16 and up.”

It’s a familiar argument. When fighting the push to let people ship themselves a case of wine, opponents suggested kids might answer the door and drown in trouble.

Let’s remember that stores like WalMart and Walgreens already sell beer and wine, and there’s no evidence their teenage workers are stealing and imbibing. The bill says employees under 18 would not be able to handle liquor — the same regulation that already exists in liquor stores.

Ron Ziff, long-time president of the California Beverage Retailers Association, told us such scare tactics have been used for years to prevent change. Since the repeal of Prohibition, California has let grocery stores sell liquor alongside beer and wine.

“It’s a facetious argument,” Ziff said. “It’s just something people make up to argue against it. Crime doesn’t go alongside grocery stores just because they sell liquor.”

The Florida Independent Spirits Association’s other argument — that will it hurt liquor stores — has some merit.

But in California, liquor stores have responded by going upscale to serve a niche market, selling a wider variety of wines and liquors than can be offered in grocery stores with limited shelf space.

Plus, they retain the convenience factor. If someone just wants to purchase a bottle of Scotch, a liquor store is a faster and easier option.

And the bill would lift the prohibition on liquor stores selling grocery items, allowing room for reinvention.

It’s long past time to repeal this outdated law. Let stores sell beer, wine and liquor, too.

Let’s end Prohibition altogether.