"Just Saying No" to wine at food stores in Massachusetts

As local and statewide campaigns in Massachusetts were ramping into high gear in the late Summer and early Fall of 2006 in anticipation of the November 7th elections, proponents and opponents of the three statewide ballot initiatives were vigilantly asking voters to vote “Yes” or “No” on each of the measures. One of these ballot initiatives, Question 1 - An Act to Increase Consumer Convenience and Choice by Permitting Food Stores to Sell Wine, called for allowing wine to be sold at grocery and convenience stores and gas stations that sell food. If passed, the measure would increase the number of liquor licenses in Massachusetts by 2,500 and some communities would gain 50-100 licenses alone. Debate and advertising on both sides of the measure were strong and each side had strong spokespeople advocating for “their side”. Although the Massachusetts Food Association reportedly spent $7 million trying to get voters to vote “Yes” on the ballot, nearly 90% of Massachusetts cities and towns voted against the measure.

This presentation will review an analysis of civic activism in, the socio-demographic characteristics of, and the ballot vote results of each of the 351 communities in Massachusetts. Civic activism indicators include: 1) presence of substance abuse or underage drinking coalition; 2) presence of evidence-based programming to prevent substance abuse; and 3) activism by grocery stores and liquor merchants. Socio-demographic indicators include age and socio-economic status. The relationship between public health, public safety, and business interests also will be explored in this presentation.