PINT BAN AIMS FOR ALCOHOLICS

UW-Madison students may find themselves reminiscing about the days when $3
and a desire to party could get them more than a plastic cup of beer.
Inexpensive pints of alcohol may be unavailable on campus thanks to a
recently recommended ban.

The proposal by the Alcohol License Review Committee would ask campus
liquor stores to voluntarily stop selling pints of alcohol. The targeted
pints generally range in prices from $2 to $3 and include brands like
McCormick's vodka.

The ban is aimed at chronic alcoholics, including many street people, who
are the biggest consumers of the banned products.

The voluntary ban was first suggested at a June 10 ALRC meeting by
committee member Dan Waisman, owner of State Street's Poster Master.

Six representatives from campus liquor stores were asked to attend the
meeting. ALRC calls the voluntary ban part of recent efforts to revitalize
the downtown area.

Local liquor store owners say that since the ALRC controls their liquor
licenses, the proposed ban is not entirely "voluntary." Moreover, one
employee at a campus liquor store called the voluntary ban elitist, saying
it is the latest in a history of actions aimed at controlling their business.

District 4 Ald. Mike Verveer said the June 10 meeting lead to a discussion
of how to handle frequent "problem" customers, and the voluntary ban was
one suggestion.

"The consensus was that they wouldn't mind getting these individuals out of
their stores," he said.

Verveer stressed that the voluntary ban was proposed with the intention of
helping consumers.

"I don't want to discriminate against anyone ever," he said. "These folks
need help and this could be a way of convincing these individuals to get
treatment."

Verveer said he and the ALRC are now attempting to work with the police
department and local equal rights groups to determine if it is legal for
stores to refuse service to "known alcoholics."

Verveer said the voluntary ban should have a minimal effect on students.

"I don't think any responsible drinkers are going to be affected by not
being able to drink really cheap alcohol," he said. "This latest thing will
have a minimal impact on responsible drinkers."

Local stores agreed to follow the voluntary ban. Josh Gordon a manager at
University Avenue Liquor, 540 University Avenue, said his store has a few
cases of $2 pints left and once they run out they plan to stop selling them.

"We're just going to voluntarily stop selling it," he said. "We just want
to see what happens."

Gordon said very few customers would be affected by the voluntary ban.

"Most people that do buy McCormick's, I know their faces," he said. "People
panhandle for $2 and then come in and get a pint."

Gordon expressed doubt that that the voluntary ban would help curb alcoholism.

"I don't think the problem can be solved," he said. "They'll just panhandle
longer or put some money together with their friends."

A spokesperson at Badger Liquor said the store would probably go along with
the voluntary ban. Riley's declined to comment.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski