Selling liquor in grocery stores – a controversial topic

Selling alcoholic beverages in the United States is a topic that has been discussed for a long time, and while some consider that laws should loosen up, others think that liquor regulations must be as strict as they can get. Recently, some competent authorities have proposed a new legislation, according to which people will be able to buy a bottle of their favorite alcoholic drink directly from supermarkets or local stores. A routine trip to the corner store will allow buyers to purchase ordinary products such as bread, chocolate, diapers or a bottle of vodka, according to these recent regulations. However, the news of supermarkets selling liquor has lead to a lot of fuss and negative reactions, because some people consider this worrying. These are the opponents, who are claiming that introducing this law would affect economy and children’s safety, since they will have easy access to alcohol. While Florida’s regulations allow beer or wine to be sold in supermarkets, in a special area (similar to an integrated liquor store), the hard stuff is forbidden. As soon as the legislation will be approved and introduced, famous stores will be allowed to add some ails, in order to display the booze next to their other products. At the moment, big stores that have a legit license can sell liquor, with the condition of having arranged a different entrance for customers, but this seems to be prone to changes. The owners of these stores consider this partition unnecessary, because it is not normal to have two different locations and doors under the same roof. For this reason, they consider this new regulation not only useful, but rather outdated – they say it should have been introduced years ago. These are the people who are pleased with it, because it will increase their profits and will make their customers happier, saving them time and effort. On the other hand, those who own specialized liquor stores are somehow concerned about their businesses, since the law will diminish their relevance. Even if those who agree with the new legislation say that it will not oblige anybody to change their business model, a local store owner has recently declared that he is worried not only about its own profits but also about his employees, who are likely to lose their jobs once the law is accepted by official authorities. However, the main concern is related to minors. As same as the national law, the law in Florida states that the legal age for alcohol consumption is 21, while those who have reached the age of 18 can work in places where alcohol is sold, as long as they do not consume it. Officials from Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Control have expressed their dissatisfaction related to this matter, since children will be exposed to various risks, especially during holidays and vacations. In Florida, there is a spring break culture, which is why selling alcohol in ordinary stores is an issue even more serious than in other US states. The topic is still controversial, and everybody is waiting for authorities to make a final decision.