Alcoholic beverage control states
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Alcoholic beverage control states, generally called control states, are those in the United States that have state monopoly over the wholesaling and/or retailing of some or all categories of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits.
Following repeal of national prohibition in the U.S. in 1933, some states decided to continue their own prohibition against the production, distribution, and sale of alcohol beverages within their borders. Other states decided to leave the issue to local jurisdictions, including counties and cities, a practice called local option.
Among those states that did not choose to maintain complete prohibition, some chose to establish government monopolies over the sale of alcohol beverages within their borders. Most of these states have an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) board and run package stores called ABC stores.
There are currently either 18 or 19 control and monopoly states in the U.S., depending on the definition used. (The term "control state" is popular but misleading in that all states control and regulate the sale of alcohol. In this sense, every state is a "control state," whereas only 18 are monopoly states.)
Use of the term "alcoholic beverage control" by a state does not make it a "control" (or monopoly) state. For example, Arkansas uses "Alcoholic Beverage Control" or "ABC" to refer to its state agencies that regulate alcohol sales; yet all alcohol sales (wholesale and retail) in those communities that allow it are by private firms. Though Arkansas (like most states) generally limits the number of retail outlets in an area, outlets within those limits are free to compete. Therefore, Arkansas is a local option state, but it is not a "control" (or monopoly) state.
Many "control" (or monopoly) states are members of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.
State listing
The 19 control or monopoly states as of 2005 are:- Alabama
- Idaho (Maintains a monopoly over sales above 16%)
- Iowa (Does not operate retail outlets; maintains a monopoly over wholesaling of beverages greater than 6% ABV.)
- Maine
- Michigan (Does not operate retail outlets; maintains a monopoly over wholesaling of distilled spirits only.)
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania (In the process of opening retail outlets inside some supermarkets.)[[Citing sources citation needed]]
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia (Does not operate retail outlets; maintains a monopoly over wholesaling of distilled spirits only.)
- Wyoming
About one-quarter of the United States population lives in control or monopoly states.
For more information on state alcohol regulation, see Alcohol laws of the United States by state.
References
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