[I have also learned recently that adultery is literally a crime in Massachusetts. Wow Chapter 272.]

[hermionesviolin]

So, during Heroes tonight I caught part of a Vote No on #1 ad which mentioned how most grocery store cashiers are teenagers and if grocery stores sell liquor, they will be the ones under all this pressure to confirm that liquor-buying customers are in fact over 21.  I could see this being a problem when it first goes into effect and it's new and a big deal, but my suspicion is that it would stabilize.  I say this mostly because there are grocery stores that sell booze (like the place we went in Atlanta) and they seem to be fine.  Anyone have thoughts, especially people who are familiar with places where grocery stores do sell booze?  [I was about to say that my personal preference would probably be to remove the age restriction on the sale of both booze and tobacco, 'cause I have inherited my father's "less laws = better" tendency, and it occurred to me that one can buy cigarettes in any CVS, where the cashiers are almost all teens, and that seems to work out fairly well.  I know there are sting operations regarding selling cigarettes to minors, but given how many minors get people to buy booze -- and cigarettes -- for them, I'm not sure the consumption-by-minors of booze would increase much with grocery store sales.]  Erm, I still owe comment replies on the same-sex marriage post, but should really finish reviewing Portrait and wash my dishes before going to bed.

*

Relevant links:
Massachusetts State Initiatives
Massachusetts Chapter 272

Comments

[wisdomeagle]

I also recently heard/learned that about adultery in MA.

Also, lo, that list of laws is terrifying.

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

Towards the end of my cigarette-buying career in Ohio, any under-18 cashier ringing up my purchase would have to get a manager or other adult to pick up the carton and hold it over the scanner. I can only assume that since the state or county or whomever started to require this procedure there was a noticible decrease in the incidence of teenage cigarette-contracted cootie outbreaks.

[laynamarya.livejournal.com]

The main reason to vote no on question one, in my opinion, if because it would force most specialty liquor stores out of business. I am oddly less concerned about the underage alcohol sellers.

Also, are you not concerned about the law against premarital sex? Maybe some people think the $30 fine is worth it.

[hedy.livejournal.com]

I have yet to hear a convincing arguement against question 1, honestly. It kind of seems to me like the packies are all "OMG wine=teh doom!!!!!!!11" and grocery stores are all "Wouldn't you like some wine with that?"

[burnalive.livejournal.com]

No idea what the details of #1 are since I now live in WA, but as someone whose parents ran a store that sold liquor growing up, I see no problem with teens having to verify ages. It's pretty condescending of that ad to imply a 16 or 18 year old couldn't handle checking an ID.

The law as I recall it was that you couldn't sell booze until you were 18, but it there was no age floor on cigarette sales (I sold ciggies all the time as a kid when I would watch the store for my parents).

(again, forgive me if I've missed the point of your post, since I'm uninformed and too busy to take time to read up :)

[marginaliana]

Coming from TX where you can get both wine and beer in the grocery store... meh. Texas isn't that much more drunken than anywhere else, I don't think, nor are its teenage cashiers any more downtrodden by their peers.

Its child care workers, however, are fucking screwed. :D