CBC reports today “Private liquor stores bad for health”:

Alcohol-related deaths from such things as liver disease and car accidents, increased substantially after private liquor stores were introduced in British Columbia says a report from that province.

The report from the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia raises concerns as P.E.I. moves forward with plans to open five new privately-operated stores in the province.

“The reality is, the evidence from all over the world, that availability — physical ease of access and price — are the things that most determine how much drinking goes on and then how much harm flows from that across the population,” said report co-author Tim Stockwell.

From The Morning Guardian, April 6, 1900, commentary from C.N. Howard of Rochester, NY:

In the name of Jesus Christ the King the Liquor Traffic Ought to Die.

It is a crime against the state; the state ought to supress it.

It is a crime against humanity; humanity ought to rise up against it.

It has opened dens of anarchy, schooled our young manhood to a life of sensual indulgence, personal impurity and profanity; sickened the public conscience with its daily horrible detail of debauchery, deviltry and crime, blocked the wheels of every righteous reform, payalyzed industry; crucified labor, defeated the church; outraged the heathen; blasphemed the Almighty and crucifies afresh the Son of God every hour of its life.

It ought to die. Every man that loves his home, his country and God ought to be arrayed against it.

You would think that after 112 years we could have figured all of this out.