Why are liquor stores considered an essential business?

Why are liquor stores considered an essential business?

LIQUOR STORES ARECONSIDEREDESSENTIALBUSINESSES -- ANDALLOWED TO STAYOPEN IN NEW YORKSTATE.THAT HAS LED TO ASURGE IN SALES OVERTHE LAST COUPLEWEEKS.BUT AS GILATMELAMED TELLS US -NOT EVERYONEAGREES THIS SHOULDBE THE CASE.A FLASHING OPENSIGN LIGHTS UPLIQUOR STORESACROSS NEW YORKSTATE, AT A TIMEWHEN MANYBUSINESS ARECLOSED.R.

LORRAINE COLLINSHAS STUDIEDALCOHOL USE FORDECADES.SHE SAYS SHE WASSURPRISED TO LEARNLIQUOR STORES ARECONSIDEREDESSENTIAL BUSINESS."WHEN WE'RE ASKINGPEOPLE NOT TO GOOUT AND THEN SAY, OHBY THE WAY GO OUT TOTHE LIQUOR STORETHAT DOESN'T REALLYMAKE ANY SENSE."ACCORDING TO THEASSOCIATED PRESSALCOHOL SALES WENTUP 55 PERCENT INSTORES AND 243PERCENT ONLINE TWOWEEKS AGO.WE ASKED THEGOVERNOR'S OFFICEWHY LIQUOR STORESARE ESSENTIAL.THEY SAY FOOD ANDBEVERAGE STORESARE ESSENTIALBUSINESS, ANDLIQUOR STORES FALLINTO THAT CATEGORY.SOME HEALTHEXPERTS CITEALCOHOLWITHDRAWALCONCERNS.BUT NOT ALL AGREEON THE IMPACT THISCOULD HAVE ON ANALREADY-STRAINEDHOSPITAL SYSTEM."WHAT PERCENTAGE OFTHE COMMUNITY DOHAVE PROBLEMS WITHALCOHOL VS.

THEBROADER COMMUNITY.IT'S STILL A MINORITYOF PEOPLE THAT HAVEPROBLEMS WITHALCOHOL TO THEEXTENT THAT THEYWOULD GO THROUGHWITHDRAWAL."WITH EVERYONESTAYING HOME--COLLINS SAYSALCOHOL COULDMAKE DOMESTICVIOLENCE SITUATIONSWORSE."I THINK IF YOU ADDALCOHOL TO AN IPVTYPE SITUATION,THAT'S NOT GOING TOBE A VERY POSITIVETHING, IT'S GOING TOEXACERBATE."BUT SHE SEES SOMEBENEFITS..."IT'S A MIXED BAG"FOR EXAMPLE, ITPREVENTS PEOPLEFROM TRAVELLING TOOTHER STATES TO BUYALCOHOL.SEVERAL STATESALLOW LIQUOR SALESINCLUDINGNEIGHBORING NEWJERSEY ANDCONNECTICUT.COLLINS SAYSAMERICANS ALSODRINK TO RELIEVESTRESS."MANY OF US USEALCOHOL AS A COPINGSTRATEGY AND RIGHTNOW WE HAVE A LOTTO COPE WITH."IF YOU OR SOMEONEYOU KNOW NEEDSHELP... THE NATIONALINSTITUTE ON ALCOHOLABUSE ANDALCOHOLISM HAS ALIST OF THERAPISTSAND DOCTORS ONTHEIR WEBSITE.THERE ARE VIDEOCHAT OPTIONS.IN BUFFALO, GILATMELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEWS.NEW AT 11 --