Dry county
In the United States, a dry county is a
A number of smaller jurisdictions also exist, such as cities, towns, and townships, which prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages and are known as dry cities, dry towns, or dry townships. Dry jurisdictions can be contrasted with "wet" (in which alcohol sales are allowed and regulated) and "
Background
History
In 1906, just over half of U.S. counties were dry. The proportion was larger in some states; for example, in 1906, 54 of
Although the
The reason for maintaining prohibition at the local level is often religious in nature, as many evangelical
A 2018 study of wet and dry counties in the U.S. found that "Even controlling for current
In rural
Transport
Since the 21st Amendment repealed nationwide Prohibition in the United States, alcohol prohibition legislation has been left to the discretion of each state, but that authority is not absolute. States within the United States and
Prevalence
A 2004 survey by the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association found that more than 500 municipalities in the United States are dry, including 83 in Alaska.[citation needed] Of Arkansas's 75 counties, 34 are dry.[9][10] 36 of the 82 counties in Mississippi were dry or moist[11] by the time that state repealed its alcoholic prohibition on January 1, 2021, the date it came into force, making all its counties "wet" by default and allowing alcohol sales unless they vote to become dry again through a referendum.[12] In Florida, three of its 67 counties are dry,[13] all of which are located in the northern part of the state, an area that has cultural ties to the Deep South.
Traveling to purchase alcohol
A study in Kentucky suggested that residents of dry counties have to drive farther from their homes to consume alcohol, thus increasing impaired driving exposure,[16] although it found that a similar proportion of crashes in wet and dry counties are alcohol-related.
Other researchers have pointed to the same phenomenon. Winn and Giacopassi observed that residents of wet counties most likely have "shorter distances (to travel) between home and drinking establishments".[17] From their study, Schulte and colleagues postulate that "it may be counter productive in that individuals are driving farther under the influence of alcohol, thus, increasing their exposure to crashes in dry counties".[16]
Data from the
Another study in Arkansas noted that wet and dry counties are often adjacent and that alcoholic beverage sales outlets are often located immediately across county or even on state lines.[21]
Tax revenue
Another issue a dry city or county may face is the loss of tax revenue because drinkers are willing to drive across city, county or state lines to obtain alcohol. Counties in Texas have experienced this problem, which led to some of its residents to vote towards going wet to see their towns come back to life commercially. Although the idea of bringing more revenue and possibly new jobs to a town may be appealing from an economic standpoint, moral opposition remains present.[22]
Crime
One study finds that the shift from bans on alcohol to legalization causes an increase in crime.[23] The study finds that "a 10% increase in drinking establishments is associated with a 3 to 5% increase in violent crime. The estimated relationship between drinking establishments and property crime is also positive, although smaller in magnitude".[23]
Dry and moist counties in Kentucky had a higher rate of
See also
- Dry state
- Alcoholic beverage control state
- List of dry communities by U.S. state
- List of alcohol laws of the United States by state
- Blue law
References
- ISBN 978-1682260166.
- ^ "-National Constitution Center". National Constitution Center – constitutioncenter.org. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
- ^ "Control State Directory and Info". www.nabca.org. National Alcohol Beverage Control Association. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017.
- ^ .
- ^ Patkotak, Elise (April 1, 2015). "Wet, damp or dry, Alaska communities suffer scourge of alcohol abuse". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- ^ a b c 544 U.S. 460 (2005)
- ^ St. John, Sarah (July 19, 1972). "40 years ago: Kansas AG raids Amtrak train, confiscates liquor". Lawrence Journal-World. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018.
- ^ Adams, Cecil (August 13, 2010). "No Booze, Oklahoma? No Railroad For You!". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Wet Counties with Their Respective Exceptions". dfa.arkansas.gov. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ "2021 Unofficial Local Option Election Status". dfa.arkansas.gov. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ "Mississippi Alcoholic Beverages Wet-Dry Map". Archived from the original on June 25, 2014.
- ^ "Mississippi's governor has signed into law a repeal of alcoholic prohibition in the state". WTVA. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ "Should Suwannee County remain dry? Voters will decide". Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ Stengel, Jim (January 9, 2012). "Jack Daniel's Secret: The History of the World's Most Famous Whiskey". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- ^ "Lynchburg, Moore County High School Raiders, Tennessee, Christmas, Tims Ford State Park, Lake, Motlow Bucks, Jack Daniels, Sign Dept". www.themoorecountynews.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016.
- ^ PMID 12850064.
- JSTOR 42863249.
- ^ "'Dry Towns' throughout the US". American Addiction Centers, Inc. October 22, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ Kelleher, Kelly (1997). "Social and Economic Consequences of Rural Substance Abuse, chapter in Drug Abuse Research" (PDF). NIH. pp. 196–219. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- S2CID 143975978.
- ^ Combs, H. Jason (2005). "The wet-dry issue in Arkansas". The Pennsylvania Geographer. 43 (2): 66–94.
- ^ Hampson, Rick (August 1, 2010). "Dry America's not-so-sober reality: Its Shrinking Fast". USA Today. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
- ^ S2CID 154591383.