Alcohol Sales Would be Banned at Automated Self-Checkout Stands to Prevent Underage Drinking
The angry white women at Mothers Against Drunk Driving helped to shove another unnecessary law through the state legislature recently.
Henry Faber
A new rule would require grocery stores and markets to use human-run checkout counters for alcohol sales and ban booze and beer at automated self-checkout lines. Although the self-checkout stations can card, they're apparently not always doing it right.
The law comes courtesy of San Francisco assemblywoman Fiona Ma, who also brought us the short-live Anti-Raves Act of 2011. She's a professional party pooper.
In any case, AB 183 is on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk this week, just waiting for his signature.
Michael Scippa of the group Alcohol Justice states:
The rise in self-serve checkout lanes in California stores that sell alcoholic beverages is creating a recipe for disaster. Easy access to alcohol is a key driver of underage drinking, which in turn causes violent crime, car crashes, and high-risk sex.
High-risk sex. Terrible.
Backers cite studies that show self-checkouts failed to ask for ID scans one out of 10 times. (Makes you wonder what the human rate is).
Another key argument for the law: Self-checkout stands can't tell if you're already drunk and going back for more. (Strangely, they do know what time it is and can shut off sales at 2 a.m.).
Scippa:
In California we don't allow 'vending machine' sales of dangerous products, like tobacco, spray paint, many drugs, guns and ammo. We should not allow the sale of alcohol ...
... or fertilizer.
[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]
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