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Saturday, September 23, 2006

Ind. Law - Liquor laws "outdated and unclear"

"[L]aws surrounding the purchase of alcohol are so murky that I wouldn't be surprised if half of them are made up." So writes columnist Anne Reznicek in the Purdue Exponent. More quotes:

For example, let's take a scenario where you make a quick stop to the local "Pay-Fewer" with your 21-year-old friend to buy some milk and maybe the latest People magazine. Depending on how risque the front cover is. Your 21-year-old friend suddenly remembers he is low on Keystone and goes to grab a case. He meets you in the checkout line and you are standing there, debating whether the rumors of Jessica Simpson dating John Mayer are true, when the cashier suddenly asks to YOU for ID, as well. You're not 21, and you suddenly find yourselves in the parking lot, beerless, bewildered and banned from the store for the day.

How unfortunate for all the parents with underage children that must find babysitters so that they can go buy cooking wine, so they are not banned from grocery stores as well. I mean, I realize that you can't purchase alcohol for underage drinkers. But what does this "law" say, exactly? Do you have to be, say, over 30 and under 10 to purchase alcohol together? Where is the line drawn?

Which leads me to my next concern. Why can you not purchase alcohol from a store on Sunday but can buy it in a restaurant, or while you're golfing? Who decided that "the line" should be drawn right there? And why? As far as I'm concerned, it's an economic hazard to deny alcohol purchases on Sunday. Think about how much more revenue the state would get from the sales tax that they lose when thirsty drinkers make the Saturday-at-midnight drive to the Illinois border. Maybe it could have even saved the Indiana Toll Road from privatization.

Plus, it seems like a greater risk letting golfers buy Bass Ale and dirty martinis while driving golf carts and hitting small, damage-inducing balls than to let your average Joe buy a 12 pack of Budweiser to accompany his Sunday football games on TV.

Maybe someday lawmakers will crawl out from behind their rose colored sunglasses they wear while sunning themselves by their pool, pina coladas in hand and realize that perhaps some of their laws are outdated and unclear.

Or perhaps "outdated and unclear" is irrelevant when it comes to liquor laws ...

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 23, 2006 07:13 AM
Posted to Indiana Law