E-Malt.com News article: US, UT: Ban on beer sales at convenience stores may soon be proposed by a prominent DABC commissioner

First, the state of Utah said it was going to shut down liquor stores and now it may be setting its sights on where Utahns can buy beer, ABC4.com reported on April, 6.

According to ABC 4 News, a prominent DABC commissioner may soon propose a ban on selling all beer at Utah convenience stores.

The first hint that DABC Commissioner Gordon Strachan might be up to something came two weeks ago when he made this comment,

“I think we should eliminate the sale of beer at gas stations."

At that March 24th DABC meeting, Strachan made very clear how he feels about beer being sold at gas stations and convenience stores.

He told an overflow crowd,

"Arriving here today, everyone of us came right by the gas station that advertises the lowest price of beer in the state. There's just something wrong to have beer sold at gas stations."

Since then, sources said that Strachan has quietly and actively been working on a beer ban at convenience stores.

Because he may only have a few months left as a DABC commissioner, sources say that Strachan could bring up this ban at the DABC's April 28th hearing.

Judging by his comments at that March DABC meeting, Strachan apparently feels that it's simply too easy to buy a big, cold beer and then simply drive away,

"I have long been an advocate of the fact that beer should not be sold at gas stations."

However, Commissioner Strachan faces some obstacles.

Not only is there opposition to his ban, but there are also questions about how much authority DABC has in this matter.

But his efforts now seem similar to the successful drive to remove “alcopops” from Utah grocery stores.

As for Gordon Strachan, his office said the commissioner had no comment.


08 April, 2011