Moms really do know best – a recent survey by Morning Consult in partnership with the WSWA Educational Foundation reveals that Texas moms have serious concerns about alcohol shipping and the health, safety, and well-being of their children.
Of the Texan moms surveyed, more respondents were in support of ID checks in locally licensed retail stores than via interstate direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol shipments. This is likely due to a lack of trust in DTC ID check proficiency by common carriers like FedEx, UPS. In fact, forty percent of respondents believe that DTC common carrier personnel are less effective at conducting age verification checks and preventing underage access than employees of their locally licensed retail businesses.
Texan mothers are also clear in their concern that this lapse in ID checks will lead to an increase in underage access (73%) and potential access to dangerous counterfeit product (63%). Furthermore, 95% and 93% of those surveyed revealed preventing DUIs and underage access, respectively, as their top two priorities regarding the future of alcohol regulation.
While there may be pushes for the introduction of DTC alcohol shipping in legislatures by certain interest groups, the dangers of DTC shipping cannot be ignored - and constituents know this. During the 2022 legislative session, 15 states introduced legislation that would open the door for DTC alcohol shipping and zero chose to enact permanent DTC privileges. It is clear that legislators in state capitols across the country share the concerns voiced by mothers nationwide: DTC shipping will lead to an increase in statewide underage access, DUIs, and overwhelm state enforcement officials.
When the 88th Texas Legislature meets in January 2023, it would behoove elected officials to listen to some of the top concerns of their constituents. Certain interest groups may be inclined to push a particular agenda and business goals while ignoring the concerns and legitimate fears of moms in their state, but the data and results of the surveys are clear: there is ample concern about the dangers of DTC spirits shipping laws - and for good reason.