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Walmart Stores Get CCTV-Enabled, Breathalyzin' Wine Vending Machines

Posted by samzenpus on from the work-around dept.

Select Pennsylvania Walmarts have found a way to work around the law prohibiting alcohol sales in grocery stores. It turns out the shortsighted legislature forgot to make it illegal to sell wine from a vending machine: "as long as the user is asked to take a breathalyzer test, swipe their state issued ID or Driver License, and then show their mug to a state official sitting somewhere in Harrisburg, who is keeping an eye on the proceedings via CCTV." I'm surprised nobody thought of this sooner.

1 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. Re:wow by chemicaldave · · Score: 4, Informative

    A little 101 on alcohol sales in Pennsylvania. The first thing you must realize about alcohol sales in PA is that it's one step above prohibition.

    The rules go a little like this...

    • Liquor & Wine - sold in state-run stores
    • 6-packs and 40s - sold in restaurants and bars
    • Cases/Kegs of Beer - sold by private distributors.

    The reason they need a breathalyzer in the store is to ensure a "properly trained" state employee is approving the sale, not some punk at a register.

    This isn't surprising for a state with such asinine liquor laws such that regulate where you can purchase (previously mentioned), until recently had no sales on Sunday or on election days.