With the election drawing near, advertising both for and against Initiative 1183 to allow liquor sales in grocery stores and large retail outlets is nearing a fever pitch. By now, most of us have heard that Costco is by far the largest supporter of the initiative ($22 million!), while the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America is providing much of the funding against the initiative.

Claims abound from both sides about the possible benefits (cheaper liquor; more tax income for law enforcement) and harms (more underage drinking; more drunk drivers) of the initiative. The only point that both sides agree on is that liquor will be easier for adults to buy legally. So what is the truth?

There is probably some truth to both sides. It seems likely that large-volume retailers will sell liquor at lower prices than the state stores do now, though it’s not at all clear how much lower. They might obtain their profits from the larger volume of sales, with little benefit to the consumer beyond increased ease of purchase. And as far as increased tax revenues and funding for law enforcement, who knows? The state Office of Financial Management can’t predict whether the initiative will produce more or less revenue for local governments. It is hard to evaluate the validity of these claims.

On one side, there is more evidence. If we look at what has happened in other states and our neighbors to the north after privatizing liquor sales, it seems very likely that passage of Initiative 1183 will lead to higher rates of underage drinking, DUIs, alcohol-related car crashes and deaths, crime, and violence.

The real question is: What price are we willing to pay for cheaper, more readily available liquor? Numerous studies have shown that the more alcohol sales outlets in an area, the higher the rates of crime, violence and other harms in that area, even after factoring in differences in characteristics of the population such as poverty, unemployment, age, race, and gender.

While some have argued that increased consumption and health problems are issues faced by individuals, increased crime, violence and drunk driving endanger us all. So, the question is: what price are we willing to pay for liquor that is easier to buy?

Kevin Haggerty

North Bend