Even Drinkers Agree: Alcohol is an “Essential” Problem.

At the beginning of the pandemic, when businesses were being ordered to close and we were all being ordered inside, there was a minor uproar about liquor stores being deemed essential businesses and given permission to stay open.

I wrote about it. I talked about it on my Untoxicated Podcast. As I expected, it was a one-day news story forgotten in the overwhelming cycle of bad news.

But now, as we open back up, the issue keeps arising with a twist. Free market economy advocates are asking why liquor stores are allowed to be open while clothing stores and hair salons are required to still be closed. The owners of small businesses are asking why booze is more essential than their products.

Did you catch the quiet significance of what’s happening here? Drinkers are uniting against the essential designation of the stores where they buy their booze. Logic is prevailing. As someone who is trying to be among the leaders in a sobriety evolution, we have a new ally. A most unexpected ally.

The drinkers themselves are calling into question the necessity of their beloved alcohol.

You might think I’m making too much of a temporary distinction being made to serve a specific purpose. Maybe you think this is a really minor thing. Maybe you are right. But…