As many of you know, one of the rallying cries of the anti-wine-shipping crowd has been "Protect Our Minors!"
"Whether Tennessee will follow suit is questionable, in large part because the state's politically powerful liquor wholesalers lobby has long supported the ban. John Jones, the chairman of the Alcoholic Beverage Commission, is another in favor of the current ban and is doubtful it will go away anytime soon.
Like many supporters of the ban, Jones said he is concerned the state would lose tax revenues if it allowed direct shipments of alcohol. He also is concerned that allowing direct shipments could make the products more available to minors."
Four years later, the ban is still in place. And now steps are being taken to protect the minors of Tennessee from illegal purchases of alcohol. Beginning on Sunday, all residents of Tennessee will be carded when they attempt to buy 'alcohol' according to a recent AP release.
"NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Comer Wilson hasn't had to show his ID to buy beer in a while. Maybe it's the 66-year-old man's long white beard. Starting Sunday, gray hair won't be good enough. Wilson and everyone else will be required to show identification before buying beer in Tennessee stores — no matter how old the buyer appears. "
<p><em><p>The blanket requirement makes it easier for stores to comply, said Steve Schmidt, spokesman for the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.</p></em></p>
<div class="lrec">However, the law that goes into effect on Sunday is only for sales of beer . . .</div>
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<div class="lrec"><strong><em>"The law does not apply to beer sales in bars and restaurants, and it does not cover wine and liquor."</em></strong></div><p></p>
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<div class="lrec">According to the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) as presented in their <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/opp/ecommerce/anticompetitive/panel/gray.pdf">formal position paper to the FTC</a>, they function to support the three "core concerns" of the state:</div>
<ul><li><div class="lrec">ensuring orderly market conditions</div></li>
<li><div class="lrec">promoting temperance, <em>including keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors</em></div></li>
<li><div class="lrec">and collecting tax revenue</div></li></ul>
Their formal report to the FTC further goes on to quote a 'study' . . . <p></p>
<em>"Dr. Wechsler reported to the court that allowing direct sales of alcohol through the Internet, telephone or mail was dangerous, bad public policy, and would invariably weaken controls over underage drinking--noting particularly the risk inherent in losing the ability to conduct face-to-face ID checks by trained personnel. Among the many studies he reviewed which support his conclusions, he highlighted a recent one addressing home delivery of alochol which found that minors, especially those who were binge or problem drinkers, used home delivery to avoid ID checks they would normally experience in face-to-face transactions."</em><p></p>
(We'll ignore for a moment the fallacy that inter-state wine shippers provide home delivery service. This study, quoted out of context by the WSWA refers to "home delivery" from local stores. All interstate shippers use common carriers like UPS and FedEx, who require adult identification.)<p></p>
<p class="lrec">My goodness, so much concern for the youth of America. Where was the WSWA when this incomplete law was passed? Why were they not quoted among the other associations in the AP news release? What about standing up for 1/3 of their state's "core concerns"? How much more difficult would it be to require identification for all purchases of alcohol? Why make it easier for minors to buy one type of alcohol than another?</p><p></p>
<div class="lrec"><div class="lrec">Can it be that the state of Tennessee is finally acknowledging that minors are not likely to purchase wine in person and <em>do not</em> purchase wine over the internet? With whose credit card? And shipping charges of $3 to $4 a bottle? And who is going to present adult I.D. to the UPS driver? </div><p></p>
<div class="lrec"> </div>What about Mr. Jones' concern over making wine "more available to minors"? Now that all purchases of beer require blanket carding--but purchases of wine do not--wine in Tennessee's liquor and grocery stores will be more available to minors than beer. </div><p></p>
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<div class="lrec">The next time a WSWA executive or alcohol control board officer wails about protecting our youth from the evils of internet shopping and open commerce, I propose we call it by its name . . . <em>Tennessee hypocrisy</em>.</div>
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