Firefighter Opposed to Sunday Alcohol Sales

As a veteran professional firefighter for over 16 years, I feel compelled to express my concern about the lobby to begin alcohol sales on Sundays in the state of Indiana.  While it is true that most adults who drink alcohol plan accordingly for their needs on Sunday by buying supplies on Saturday, Sunday sales may cause people to drink more, since they know it is readily available non-stop.  This poses a serious risk of increasing the likelihood of drinking and driving incidents across the state.  Life is far too precious to take this lightly.  Anyone who has seen the tragic aftermath of mixing alcohol and driving can attest that it leaves horrific indelible images for a lifetime.

I believe that expanding the sale of ready-to-serve cold beer in locations other than those places that require an individual to be 21 years of age before allowed entry is an additional risk to our youth.  It is possible that minors may more easily acquire cold beer from these places than the stores that deal exclusively with alcohol sales, and therefore more experienced in spotting fraudulent identification and the like.   

Lastly, I also believe that Sunday alcohol sales could lead to more absenteeism from the workplace on Monday mornings, since those who drink may be tempted to do so later into the evening on Sundays.  This is a concern for the workplace, regardless of the place of employment. 

My hope is that legislators will strongly consider the above before changing the existing laws concerning alcohol sales on Sundays in Indiana.  What some may push as progress is fixing something that is not broken.

Eric C. E. Wilson
Daleville, IN