Bottoms up
Laws regarding the sale of alcohol continually change, but that doesn’t seem to keep Iowans from drinking their share.
Prohibition ended in 1933, and states have been slurping down revenues from the sale of alcohol ever since. As part of an effort to “control” liquor sales early on, legislators set up state-owned liquor stores in cities and towns. They remained in place until 1987. Some of you may recall the standard, large blue signs that identified those locations. Today, the sale of liquor is privatized, but the state still gets its share of the tax.
We knew that alcohol sales increased in Iowa in 2009, but we were curious how that played out by county. The results were mixed. Jared Curtis helps dissect the data in this week’s cover story and shares thoughts from bar owners and officials located in various counties across the state.
Alcohol sales are certainly on the rise, but those purchasing it are seeming doing so more often at retail stores and drinking in their homes where they are free to smoke cigarettes, too.
Cheers! CV
