Pennsylvania Must Reconsider Closing Its State Liquor Stores Tomorrow

Pennsylvania Must Reconsider Closing Its State Liquor Stores Tomorrow
My Take


Originally March 16, 2020



Governor Tom Wolf recently issued his emergency plans for the state of Pennsylvania's coronavirus response. With my county among those now claiming confirmed cases, and in lieu of an adequate response from the federal government, I welcome something of the sort.But when I found out that on Tuesday March 17, Pennsylvania will close its state-run liquor stores (Fine Wine & Good Spritis) in response to the coronavirus, I immediately wrote this letter to the state's Department of Health reasoning as to why they should not do that. For my out-of-state readers, the state government in PA has a monopoly on most alcoholic beverages sales outside of bars, restaurants, etc--though that has begun to change in recent years, allowing places like grocery stores to sell limited quantities of beer and wine. Nonetheless, almost all alcohol sold in the state that the buyer does not consume on the spot come from these state stores.

Here is the case I made in that email:

"In regards to the state's COVID-19 emergency plans, I am formally requesting a reconsideration of the state's decision to close all Wine&Spirits starting Monday, March 17. As somebody who once dealt with addictive diseases myself, I have a fuller understanding of how that population operates. Closing access to alcohol stores seems like a smart idea, but heed the law of unintended consequences. In theory, warning people of their closure in advance gives them time to stock up on what they may need. However, many alcoholics lack the kind of financial cushion to go buy the 10 bottles of liquor right now that will last them even two weeks. Alcoholics--truly addicted individuals, perhaps a double-digit percentage of the adult population--will not simply stop drinking because of a public health emergency. 

It will likely exacerbate both the damage to our collective health indirectly as well as contributing to the spread of the virus itself. Alcoholics need alcohol, both mentally and physically. Forcing these people to stop drinking will induce withdrawal symptoms in tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians, many of whom do not realize that they genuinely have a dependence. In some, these symptoms are likely to be serious, up to and including fatal seizures but also symptoms which mimic the flu in many cases. This will lead to a larger strain on public health capabilities as thousands of alcoholics whose supply has been suddenly cut off and now feel sick will seek out much-needed COVID-19 tests and other medical resources. Some will have seizures; some may die, or end up occupying hospital beds that they otherwise would not. In milder cases, the withdrawal also may lower immune responses just enough that a slice of people will become compromised. 

Furthermore, this will lead to the disbursement of people needing to buy alcohol. Just as Prohibition spawned speakeasies and a lucrative black market, alcoholics today who would prefer to go to the liquor store, buy a bottle and go home will now be forced to frequent bars and restaurants for which they've been discouraged from going to, but not formally banned. Going out to drink means unnecessary contact with other people. In the case of local bar and restaurant closures, some desperate individuals may drive miles across county or state lines, driving great distances under the influence of alcohol and interacting with populations in different areas. Their attendance at these locations with other people will contribute to a less effective containment of the virus in the weeks to come. 

Finally, as a possibly overlooked solution, high proof beverages contain enough alcohol to--in some situations--sanitize surfaces, etc. Given a situation where in three different stores I went to yesterday all had no Lysol wipes or other disinfectants, bottom-shelf vodka and the like may provide an unorthodox alternative to Pennsylvanians. Of course, in an ideal world, nobody would want or need to buy booze during an emergency like this. Sadly, we do not live in an ideal world. This is merely harm reduction. For these reasons and more, I strongly encourage the state to consider alternatives to simply shutting down its stores that specialize in the sale of alcoholic beverages. Perhaps temporarily offering a delivery service may offer a middle-ground solution. Or, just leaving stores open might be best. I don't know what the answer is, but it is not the plan as it currently stands."