Please contact your state Senator right away
Christian Action League
May 1, 2020
Thursday, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed HB 1043 – Pandemic Response Act. According to a press release from the Speaker’s office, the purpose of the legislation is to provide recovery funds, assistance for small businesses, modify education requirements, streamline unemployment benefits, ensure the continuity of government operations, and support healthcare facilities on the front lines of the COVID 19 pandemic.
“Overall, the legislation is good and will help many, but because of one provision in the measure, the bill is like an omelet with a rotten egg in it,” said Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “That provision, which is meant to help the ailing hospitality industry, would allow for the sale of liquor drinks along with takeout and delivery food. The drinks would have to have a sealed lid. Only two drinks would be allowed per purchase of a meal or food item. And the practice would allegedly only be allowed until Gov. Cooper’s executive order is lifted.”
In a press release, Rev. Creech added, “Allowing the sale of curbside mixed beverages is not likely to change the economic fortune of a restaurant or its employees. But because it creates a significant public health risk, it will seriously and negatively impact the trajectory of many of our citizens’ lives, and unnecessarily add to our number of dead.”
The measure has now moved to the Senate, and the Christian Action League implores you to contact your state Senator about it without delay. Senate members will be acting on this bill quickly, even today. Please urge your Senator to stalwartly reject any proposal that would allow for curbside sales of mixed beverages.
If you do not know who represents you in the NC Senate, go to this link and follow the prompts: https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators
It should take less than 5 minutes, and your influence to stop this poorly advised proposal might help to save someone’s life.
ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE DON’T DELAY IN CONTACTING YOUR STATE SENATOR!!!
The following talking points are freely provided for your use:
- Drinking during the pandemic is already sky-high. Allowing for curbside sales creates an additional unnecessary public health hazard to the current pandemic.
According to various media reports, people are coping with the current crisis by turning to booze. Recent reports show that U.S. sales of alcohol have risen by 55%. Online sales across the country are up by 243%. The Charlotte Observer has reported that in Mecklenburg County, the sale of spirits in ABC stores has had a 30% jump in sales. Overall, North Carolina liquor sales have jumped by 21%.
Governor Cooper’s executive order has made ABC stores an “essential business” and people may already find their choice of alcoholic beverages, whether beer, wine, or liquor, readily available. But by creating additional outlets with curbside sales of mixed drinks, the state is only increasing the probability of dangerous drinking levels that will exacerbate alcohol-related problems, creating an additional unnecessary public health hazard to the current pandemic.
- The Current Health Crisis Poses Unique Challenges for People Suffering from Alcoholism or an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
With the threat of COVID 19, people with problematic drinking behaviors face:
- Drinking to cope with their anxiety, which is one of the worst reasons to drink.
- Loneliness brought about by social distancing (An untended cause of social distancing is that it isolates these folks from their usual support systems, which help them avoid alcohol abuse. Studies have also shown social withdrawal increases loneliness and depression, which are also significant factors associated with alcohol abuse.)
- Risk lowering their immune system health and, therefore, the potential for increased susceptibility to COVID 19. (There is a clear association between excessive drinking and a weakened immune system, particularly when it comes to an individual’s susceptibility to respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia.)
- North Carolina Ranks the Highest of any State in the Union for People Drinking While they are working from Home during the Coronavirus Crisis.
A recent survey by Fishbowl, a group that focuses on workplace trends, reports:
“North Carolina had the highest percentage answering with Yes, with 47.7%. Following closely behind were Oregon (47.58%), Connecticut (47.41%), Colorado (46.93%), and Washington (46.3%).”
This fact certainly doesn’t bode well for North Carolina’s productivity at a time when our citizens need to be their sharpest, and productivity doesn’t need to be diminished any more than it already is.
- Impaired Driving Seems Much More Likely with this Proposal.
The temptation to open and drink “straight-hook” style from a sealed bottle while driving is negligible; the temptation to open expertly-prepared-to-be-tasty drinks seems much higher.
- Underage Drinking Seems Much More Likely with this Proposal.
Wearing masks during the pandemic certainly presents new and unique challenges for those required to check IDs and prevent underage sales. In other states, such as Pennsylvania, where delivery of mixed drinks has been allowed, there have been problems with delivery drivers not properly verifying an individual’s age.
- The Proposal Works against the State’s Overarching Goal of Keeping Emergency Rooms and Hospitals Freed Up.
This step to expand sales pushes the likelihood of the increased need at a hospital ER or the treatment of other pressing issues requiring hospitalization for alcohol abuse.
ONCE MORE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR WITHOUT DELAY.
If you do not know who represents you in the NC Senate, go to this link and follow the prompts: https://www.ncleg.gov/FindYourLegislators
Urge your state Senator to stalwartly reject any proposal that would allow for curbside sales of mixed beverages.