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A North Carolina brewer hoped to sell three ounce “shooters” in grocery and convenience stores in the state. However, officials raised concerns over the product. The North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission grew wary of the malt beverage product, fearing that the shooters would encourage underage drinking.

Stout Brewing had proposed to sell the product dubbed Stout 21 in three ounce vials with a twist off top. The flavored high alcohol beverages would have come in a variety of flavors, including apple pie and margarita.

State officials say that the three ounce vials would contain as much alcohol as a normal can of beer, in a much smaller package. The ABC Commission denied the company’s request to market the shooters based upon a fear that teens would find the product attractive.

In addition to the high alcoholic concentration of the product, ABC officials say that teens would be drawn to the product because of its size and ease of concealment. The brewer says that the product would be marketed to people of legal age to drink in the 21- to 35-year age bracket. The state ABC Commission recently voted unanimously to reject the proposal.

North Carolina officials take underage drinking seriously. Followers of this blog may recognize that state authorities and local law enforcement agencies seek to enforce laws prohibiting underage drinking rather aggressively. North Carolina law even makes simple possession of a fake ID a crime, which is aimed at least in part to control underage possession and consumption of alcohol.

Students and teens who are under the age of 21 should be aware that a citation for an alcohol offense can have long term consequences. Because underage alcohol offenses are a crime, and North Carolina law brings charges against a person 16-years-old or more in adult court, paying a fine on an underage alcohol citation will create a criminal record for a teen. Parents and teens should consider seeking the advice of legal counsel when allegations of an underage alcohol offense arise.

Source: WRAL, “Plan for 3-ounce alcohol drink falls flat,” March 20, 2013

Greenville DUI Attorney Blog | North Carolina Underage Drinking Lawyer | Pitt County First DUI Law Firm

There is no doubt that Florida drunk driving accidents are a serious concern. Each year, these very preventable accidents claim far too many lives. However, there are concerns about certain practices and realities, which can help contribute to these types of Florida car accidents.

For example, while driving is said to be a privilege, some experts are concerned about the ways that multiple offenders are allowed to keep their driving privileges. Some families who lose a loved one to drunk driving are surprised to find that a driver with a record of DUI arrests is permitted to keep driving. While driving suspensions for DUI cases are common, these suspensions are virtually always temporary. After some weeks or months, the driver is allowed back on the road, even if they have repeatedly shown themselves to make the wrong decisions about drinking and driving. One problem is that driving is now accepted as a necessity rather than a privilege. Many people rely on driving a car in order to get to work or to run everyday errands. As a result, taking away driving privileges becomes a severe hardship and few are willing to suspend a license permanently. However, it does mean that DUI drivers with long track records of accidents are allowed behind the wheel again and again.

Another issue is the increasing number of places where alcohol is sold. Some advocates are worried about the places where alcoholic beverages can be purchased. As a result of the economic downturn, for example, many fast food restaurants have added alcoholic beverages to their options. Some Burger King restaurants, Sonic locations, Chipotle, and Starbucks locations offer alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine. Other chains have plans to add alcohol to their menus. Critics believe that such a move can help contribute to drunk driving, since in many cases people drive to these restaurants.

Another common problem is alternatives available for those who wish to make responsible decisions. Florida has many large cities, including Miami and For Lauderdale, which tend to have large public transit systems and many transportation options. Getting home safely in these cities is often quite simple. In more remote and urban areas, however, taxi cabs and buses may not be as readily available. As well, many people hesitate to take public transportation, since that often means having to return for their car the next day – at an added cost. Leaving a car overnight can also lead to a parking ticket and taxis home can be expensive. During holidays, there are free ride-home programs available, but during the rest of the summer such services are not available. Some critics say that more needs to be done to make it easier for drivers to make the right decisions after drinking.

Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The use of cell phones in automobiles has captured the attention of public consciousness in recent years. USA Today ran a story on Monday regarding cell phone applications available iPhones, iPads, Blackberry and Android devices that can track DWI checkpoints.

On Tuesday, four United States Senators raised concerns about the DUI checkpoint applications. Greenville DWI defense lawyers know that law enforcement agencies all across the state frequently set up checkpoints to enforce North Carolina DWI law.

Four U.S. Senators voiced their objections to the availability of DWI checkpoint applications in a letter sent Tuesday to Apple, Google and Blackberry. The federal lawmakers reportedly asked the companies to stop selling DWI related applications that allow users to identify the locations of DWI checkpoints.

The Senators specifically targeted an application that “contains a database of DUI checkpoints updated in real time,” according to the letter. The lawmakers also cited an application they say has more than 10 million users, which “allows users to alert each other to DUI checkpoints in real time,” the senators write.

The lawmakers, who do not have direct authority over individual state DWI laws, apparently wrote directly to Apple, Google and Research in Motion, maker of the Blackberry device, to raise their concerns over the wireless technology DWI applications. The letter on Tuesday asked the technology companies to remove the applications from their downloadable stores or remove the DWI checkpoint functionality from the applications.

Source: USA Today, “Four senators target DUI checkpoint apps,” Larry Copeland 22 Mar 2011

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