Alcohol days of sale restrictions

There is some evidence that restricting the days alcohol can be sold prevents excessive alcohol consumption, prevents increases in overall alcohol consumption (Sherk 2017, CG-Alcohol), reduces alcohol-related harms, such as alcohol-related crashes and drunk driving (CG-Alcohol, SAMHSA-Alcohol misuse 2022, Middleton 2010), and reduces crime (Nicosia 2023, Yoruk 2018, Han 2016, Heaton 2012). Additional evidence is needed to confirm effects.

Overall, repealing limits on days of sale in on- and off-premise settings has been shown to increase alcohol consumption in the United States and abroad (Sherk 2017, CG-Alcohol, Yoruk 2013); for every additional day of sales permitted, there is a 3.4% increase in alcohol consumption (Sherk 2017). One Connecticut-based study suggests repealing Sunday alcohol sales bans was associated with a short-term increase in alcohol sales but the effect did not last (Connolly 2024). The repeal of Sunday sales bans in Georgia had no impact on teenage drinking (Meany 2018).

Limits on days of sale in off-setting premises may reduce alcohol-related violence and injuries (CG-Alcohol, SAMHSA-Alcohol misuse 2022, Sanchez-Ramirez 2018). Repealing Sunday alcohol sales bans is associated with increases in homicides and suicides (Nicosia 2023) and in violent and property crime (Yoruk 2018). The repeal of Sunday sales bans in Virginia was associated with increases in minor and alcohol-related crime (Heaton 2012), and in Philadelphia it was associated with increases in overall crime levels (Han 2016).

Limits on the times of sale may also affect alcohol consumption and related harms. Overall, available evidence suggests restrictions on times of sale may be associated with decreases in alcohol-related harms (Nepal 2020) but have mixed effects on drunk driving (Grattan 2019, Nepal 2020). Increasing hours of sale by two or more hours has been shown to increase alcohol consumption and related harms in on-premise settings in Europe and Australia; effects are less certain when hours of sale are increased by less than two hours (CG-Alcohol, Nepal 2020, Sanchez-Ramirez 2018).

It is unclear what impact alcohol sales restrictions may have on disparities in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms. Available evidence suggests that increasing times or days of alcohol sales may disproportionately increase alcohol-related harms in neighborhoods with low incomes (SAMHSA-Alcohol misuse 2022).

Blacks and Latinos experience disproportionate personal and social consequences of alcohol use, including alcohol use disorder symptoms and various social problems, compared with other racial and ethnic groups when consuming similar levels of alcohol (Mulia 2017). Alcohol consumers who are Black or Hispanic appear more likely to experience alcohol-related injuries, accidents, and health and social consequences than consumers who are white. These racial and ethnic disparities are seen across all levels of consumption and may be most pronounced at low levels of consumption, suggesting there are environmental and cultural factors at play (Delker 2016, Witbrodt 2014). Evidence suggests that the combined effects of drinking cultures, historically rooted patterns of racial discrimination and persistent socioeconomic disadvantage in racialized groups contribute to these disparities (Vaeth 2017).

Alcohol is deeply rooted in American life and history. Prior to the American Revolution, alcohol was perceived as an invigorating and restorative beverage that did not spoil easily and was safer than water. Its taxation provided a major source of revenue for colonial governments (Olson 1985). After the American Revolution, the temperance and women’s rights movements shifted societal perspectives of alcohol and led efforts for its banishment. These efforts led to the adoption of the 18th Amendment in 1920, which banned the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol across the U.S., also known as Prohibition (Aaron 1981). Prohibition ended in 1933 in large part because of the need to generate tax revenue and stimulate job growth during the Great Depression and gave states authority to regulate alcohol, and each have approached regulation differently (Olson 1985). Today, the federal government has limited authority to impose national-level rules and regulations and there continues to be a patchwork of alcohol regulations that vary by state. Some state legislatures have preempted local government from implementing certain regulations and laws (APIS-State Preemption).

Throughout history, alcohol misuse was seen as a personal failing. This evolved over the 19th century as the addictive properties of alcohol were understood (Olson 1985). Alcohol use disorder is now seen as a chronic disease that is influenced by genetics, neighborhood disadvantage, stress, access to alcohol, drinking cultures and contexts, and alcohol-industry influences (Zapolski 2014, Sudhinaraset 2016).

The alcohol industry is viewed by public health and academia as legitimate partners in the development of national alcohol policy. Since the 1950s the alcohol industry has intervened and influenced research and policy to help normalize drinking, reproduce industry narratives regarding the causes of alcohol harms, and reduce regulation (Maani 2023). For example, the alcohol industry-funds research designed to establish the benefits of alcohol use. These attempts to influence public perceptions of alcohol have the potential to confuse public opinion about the health effects of alcohol, discredit independent scientists, damage the integrity of science, and discourage or delay implementation of effective alcohol policies (Babor 2013).

• Are alcohol sales restrictions by time or day already implemented in your community? If not, could sales restrictions be introduced and implemented?
• Who can you partner with to bring time and days of alcohol sales restrictions to your community?
• Who could benefit the most from time and days of alcohol sales restrictions in your community?

As of January 2023, Sunday alcohol sales bans at off-premise locations remain in 8 states; these states allow local governments to permit Sunday sales as an exception to a state ban. Since 1998, 12 states have repealed the Sunday sales bans (APIS).

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Middleton 2010 - Middleton, J. C., Hahn, R. A., Kuzara, J. L., Elder, R., Brewer, R., Chattopadhyay, S., Fielding, J., Naimi, T. S., Toomey, T., & Lawrence, B. (2010). Effectiveness of policies maintaining or restricting days of alcohol sales on excessive alcohol consumption and related harms. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 39(6), 575–589.

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Sanchez-Ramirez 2018* - Sanchez-Ramirez, D. C., & Voaklander, D. (2018). The impact of policies regulating alcohol trading hours and days on specific alcohol-related harms: A systematic review. Injury Prevention, 24(1), 94–100.

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Yoruk 2018* - Yörük, B. K., & Lee, J. (2018). Did legalization of Sunday alcohol sales increase crime in the United States? Evidence from seven states. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 79(6), 816–825.

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