Next for New York City: Reducing Liquor Sales

The mayor plans to lower the number of alcohol retail outlets and the amount of alcohol marketing in stores and restaurants.

January 13, 2012

NEW YORK - Smoking, trans fat, sodium and soda, move over. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has now decided that there??s too much alcohol flowing through New York City, the New York Post reports.

The mayor has proposed reducing the number of retailers that sell alcohol to lower incidents of excessive drinking, according to initiatives in the Partnership for a Healthier New York City run by the city??s health department. "Talk about a nanny state. Why don??t they just close all the liquor establishments?" said Mike Long, who used to own a liquor store. "This is absolutely insane. They want to run the retail establishments in New York."

The health department also is considering curbing the advertising and promos related to alcohol in stores and restaurants as well as in general places, such as trains and buses. "The city??s goals for the Partnership for a Healthier New York are in line with our ongoing strategies of promoting healthy eating and physical activity and discouraging tobacco, excessive alcohol use and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages," said an unnamed spokeswoman. "Specific proposals, however, are still in the planning phase."

The Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association will fight any action in court, said its president, Scott Wexler. "More social engineering by Mike Bloomberg. What a surprise!" he said.

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