Currently, grocery stores in Colorado can carry only 3.2 percent beer. A state ballot initiative is in the works that may seek to allow them to sell full-strength beer and wine. (Seth A. McConnell, YourHub)
Re: “Should Colorado allow sales of alcohol in chain grocery stores?,” April 12 point-counterpoint columns.
The debate about allowing grocery and other stores to sell liquor seems to be a moot point. Though I am a free-market person, I do not see how we can void our contracts with the owners of these small liquor stores. Essentially, our government has established an open contract with these stores. To allow grocery stores to sell alcoholic products would violate this contract, as it would put them out of business. If you visit states that allow grocery stores to sell alcohol, you will observe the lack of individually owned liquor stores.
The store owners have paid for these contracts with license fees and other payments. Would we not have to buy them out in order to change the law? Otherwise we will have violated our contract (license) with these businesses.
William F. Hineser,Arvada
This letter was published in the April 19 edition.If we allow chain stores to sell alcohol, whatap next? Marijuana? The law passed to allow the legal sale of recreational marijuana says itap to be treated like alcohol. Is this really where we want to go? I think there is another, perhaps more subtle (to some) message at play here, and that is by keeping the sales of alcohol (and now marijuana) separate from the sale of our everyday needs of a grocery store, we keep a distinction between need and want. We need good, healthy food to sustain life; we do not need alcohol (or marijuana) to maintain a healthy life.
Using alcohol and marijuana are recreational activities that are perfectly legal for any adult to indulge in. By introducing the sale of one or both into our grocery stores, are we then promoting the use of these products?
Don’t we already have enough of a problem keeping these products out of the hands of minors? Letap not make it easier and thus more acceptable to participate in the use of these products.
Joan Schobert,Aurora
This letter was published in the April 19 edition.
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