Census Bureau Daily Feature for Wednesday, January 21: State Liquor Stores.

WASHINGTON -- Profile America -- Wednesday, January 21st. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the sale of alcoholic beverages resumed in the U.S. but subject to a patchwork of differing regulations. Local options mean that some counties remain dry. A few states regulate the alcoholic content of beer sold at supermarkets and gas stations. In a few others, beer, wine and liquor may be sold practically anywhere. And, in 18 states, liquor is sold exclusively in state-run facilities. The first state controlled liquor stores opened in Pennsylvania this month in 1934. Today in the U.S., Americans drink an average of about 1.5 gallons of distilled spirits annually. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.

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Sources:  <
Famous First Facts, 2505, p. 133
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Statistical Abstract of the United States 2008, t. 203
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http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2008/2008edition.html
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Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).