North Carolina’s Alcohol and Beverage Control System is unfair and outdated. It’s a perfect example of things government does for no good reason. Free and responsible adults should be free to decide how and where they buy and use alcoholic beverages. Beverage suppliers shouldn’t be limited in the ways they can meet their customer’s preferences.
The 100-year old ABC System punishes sensible consumers. It suffocates small and growing businesses. It rewards politically powerful special interests. And it fails to achieve its goals.
North Carolina is one of the few states to control liquor distribution and sales completely. The goal is to maximize revenues and minimize choice and competition, two opposite ends. Only 38 percent of ABC profits go to government. The limited number of stores, operating hours, and product choice also reduces revenue.
There’s no evidence supporting assertions the state liquor monopoly prevents underage drinking or alcohol abuse.
The claim that government would lose revenue is also unfounded. Only seven percent of liquor sales profits go to local government. State government revenue from liquor sales is already built into taxes and surcharges under state law.
Just the opposite. Free market liquor sales would increase government revenue through surcharges, licensing fees, and sales taxes.
Consumers, distillers, private retailers, future entrepreneurs, local job-seekers, and local communities would all benefit from freeing North Carolina’s liquor industry from senseless, ineffective regulation.
● Dissolve the ABC Boards, and sell all ABC stores and warehouses. Let private businesses manufacture, distribute and sell liquor under state license, as with beer and wine.
● Abolish the ABC Commission’s approved products list. Let distillers and private retailers decide what they make and sell.
● End anti-competitive restrictions and over-regulation of the alcohol industry. If a practice is allowed in most states, don’t prohibit it in North Carolina.