Mississippi Alcohol Sales Up Raising Some Concerns

[TexasTowelie]

Sales of alcohol in Mississippi are up, but advocates are making sure those who deal with addiction and in recovery are supported through the pandemic. MPB's Alexandra Watts reports.

Businesses and industries across the state are seeing a decline in sales. Yet, Revenue Commissioner Herb Frierson said one industry is up 27 percent.

"The normal peak is December. We’re selling more wine and spirits than we were during the Christmas [and] New Year’s holiday," Frierson said.

Behavioral health specialists say during this Coronavirus pandemic, people are using alcohol to cope with job loss, money issues, health concerns and isolation from friends and family.

Read more: https://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/mississippi-alcohol-sales-up-raising-some-concerns/

[Newest Reality]

1. Gee...

No kidding. Who would have imagined that would happen?

[Glorfindel]

2. Part of the reason could be that the pandemic makes it harder to obtain

illegal substances, causing people to turn to easily-obtained alcohol. Just a theory.

[mr_lebowski]

6. I have no doubt that's a part of it (nt)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Not clear if this includes bar & restaurant biz. Seems they mean a state monopoly?

[SWBTATTReg]

4. Seems tragic that alcohol is still a 'go to', for dealing w/ stress. It's a shame, and doesn't ...

really help the situation one finds themselves in. I have an alcoholic sister who moved back to MO just recently.

We all resigned ourselves to her still drinking, but at least, beer only, no hard stuff.

She is hiding how much beer she's drinking from my non-alcoholic sister (staying temporarily with), which if you don't drink, you can smell the beer on people's breath from 100 feet away (I can smell it too).

Hiding it (the drinking) doesn't work. Be an adult and grow up, and at least admit it you are drinking. Sure you're not proud of it (the drinking), but give all of us a break and give us credit for having brains too. The drinkers all seem to revert to their childhood antics, not a fun thing to watch or handle.

At least my drunk sister admits she drinks, but still doesn't admit all she drinks.

Be safe all.

[mr_lebowski]

5. Concerns? What, is there like a danger that supplies might run out, or? nt

[rurallib]

7. does Mississippi still have dry counties?

If so could part of the reason be folks from the dry counties stocking up?

ETA - When my daughter lived in Mississippi IIRC they wouldn't even allow alcohol to be driven through her county - or soe such really restrictive rule.

[Glorfindel]

8. Yes. I lived in a "dry" county in Mississippi for 18 years

you could buy beer in supermarkets, Wal-Mart, etc., but sales of wine and liquor were not allowed at all. Fortunately, you could drive a few miles in any direction, cross the county line, and buy whatever you wished. Wine and liquor had to be sold in state-licensed stores. The county where I lived changed its rules about a year before I left and allowed a couple of liquor/wine stores to be opened. I guess they finally got tired of all that sales tax revenue going to surrounding counties.

Here's a wet/dry county map of Mississippi:

https://www.dor.ms.gov/ABC/Pages/Wet-Dry-Map.aspx

[rurallib]

9. Looks like the dries split the state lengthwise

that is kind of funny. Daughter lived in Alcorn county. Thanks for the map.