Opinion Board | Reform the liquor laws

Amid the confusing legal battle currently being fought between convenience stores and state beer distributors, at least one thing is clear. Legislators must step in and bring Pennsylvania's archaic liquor laws into the 21st century.

At the heart of the court case is whether Sheetz, a central Pennsylvania convenience store, should be allowed to sell alcohol. But regardless of the court's final decision, the case itself is symptomatic of an outdated and convoluted set of rules adopted over 70 years ago.

In some instances, the state's liquor laws over-regulate the beer market. Rather than allowing residents to buy six-packs from licensed beer distributors, the state oddly forces customers to buy alcohol by the case.

Current legislation in Pennsylvania's Senate would allow beer distributors to sell smaller quantities of alcohol, but until the bill passes, consumers must continue to shell out big bucks to buy beer in bulk.

Pennsylvania's liquor laws are also ripe with double standards, allowing delis and bars to sell beer for take-out while preventing most convenience stores from selling alcohol.

Opponents of reform claim that these restrictions are designed to keep neighborhoods safe from alcohol-related incidents. But there's no reason that walking into a pizza place and picking up a twelve-pack is any safer than walking into a supermarket and doing the same.

Overhauling the state's alcohol policies will undoubtedly prove challenging. State legislators will have to balance the interests of businesses, consumers and local communities concerned about alcohol distribution.

But it's a far better course of action than stubbornly clinging to an arcane pile of regulations that continues to harm businesses and limit consumer choice.

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