Editor’s note: the following is a letter to the editor from the Jefferson County Drug Free Coalition.
On May 18, 2021, the City Council of the City of Jefferson voted to allow gas stations to sell liquor in addition to beer. Many gas stations in the City of Jefferson currently hold Class A Beer and Cider licenses and now they would be able to apply for Class A Liquor Licenses. What this essentially means is that gas stations can now become small liquor stores.
As of April 21, 2021, there were six businesses that hold Class A Beer and Cider licenses and four businesses that hold Class A Beer and Liquor Licenses. The current discussion involves the number of Class A Beer licensees that now will be granted a Class A Liquor license. Before making these decisions, we would ask the city council and the people in the city of Jefferson to consider the social and financial impact of allowing more businesses, especially gas stations, to sell liquor.
According to County Health Roadmaps and Rankings, there is strong scientific evidence that increased alcohol outlet density increases rates of alcohol consumption, violent crime and underage drinking. One particular study found that each additional off-premise alcohol outlet was associated with a greater than 12% increase in pedestrian injury.
Additionally, liquor available at gas stations is a risk to the community because it spurs impulse buying and people driving drunk. It increases the risk of injuries to pedestrian and injuries to people on the roadways. Many underage people find it easy to get alcohol from convenience stores. According to Department of Health Services, 25% of eleventh graders admit to buying alcohol from a retailer like a gas station, grocery, liquor or convenience store.
Alcohol Purchase Surveys conducted recently in the city of Jefferson suggest that convenience stores and gas stations are not consistently checking ID for alcohol purchases making it easy for youth to purchase alcohol. Between the two surveys done in the last year, five different businesses in the city of Jefferson “failed” the survey, meaning the clerk did not ask a young adult for ID before offering the sale.
Underage drinking is harmful to the teenage brain. It can change the way the brain develops and functions. Drinking can damage parts of the brain responsible for learning, memory, and self-control. Underage drinking can go hand in hand with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Because most underage drinking is binge drinking, young people are more likely to experience alcohol poisoning. When we provide more opportunities to purchase alcohol within a community that has historically sold alcohol to teens, we are not protecting our youth.
In Jefferson County, the estimated economic cost of binge drinking is $55.7 million. This includes money lost in criminal justice, lost productivity, healthcare and other expenses. Excessive alcohol use in Jefferson County contributes to an annual average of 33 alcohol related deaths, 786 hospitalizations, 80 alcohol related crashes and 188 persons in treatment for alcohol use.
Policies that increase the availability of alcohol can lead to a myriad of community problems such as drunk driving, alcohol misuse, and underage drinking. We need good policies that aim to protect the health and well-being of its community members.
Jefferson County Drug Free Coalition
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