Ohio border counties are ordered to only sell liquor to people with state ID after flood of people from Pennsylvania where alcohol stores are not considered ‘essential’
- Those trying to buy alcohol in Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont will not have to show documents proving you live in Ohio
- Ohio gov. Mike DeWine issued the order on Tuesday saying it is a ‘health hazard’
- The move came after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf closed state-owned liquor stores on March 16, not deeming them ‘essential’ business
- ’95 percent of our customers are from Pennsylvania’, one Ohio store owner said
- Alcohol sales across the US were up 22 per cent in the final week of March
Liquor stores in Ohio counties close to the Pennsylvania where have been banned from selling alcohol to those crossing state lines to buy booze.
Ohio governor Mike DeWine on Tuesday issued an order requiring those trying to buy alcohol in Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont to show state ID or documentation proving you live in the state.
The move came after Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf closed state-owned liquor stores on March 16, not deeming them ‘essential’ business.
DeWine said: ‘Any other time we would love to have visitors from Pennsylvania but during this time, those who are coming in to buy liquor are creating a health hazard.’
The US has seen a massive spike in alcohol sales as people turn to drink to cope with the lockdown.
Alcohol sales were up 22 per cent in the final week of March.
A pedestrian walks past a boarded up Wine and Spirits store on March 18 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania after the shut down all of its roughly 600 state-owned wine and liquor stores to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus
Liquor stores in Ohio counties close to the Pennsylvania where have been banned from selling alcohol to those crossing state lines to buy booze. Long lines are pictured in one store
One Ohio liquor store owner, Linda Johnson, told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: ‘It’s mind-boggling. 95 percent of our customers are from Pennsylvania. I think they’re the only state that [closed liquor stores], and I don’t know why they did.’
DeWine added: ‘This is necessary because of repeated instances of persons from Pennsylvania coming into these counties for the sole or main purpose of purchasing liquor.
‘In compliance with the Ohio Department of Health’s orders designed to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the in-person sale of liquor in these counties will be restricted only to Ohioans.’
Those without a valid non-Ohio photo ID may be able to buy alcohol with additional information including mail, a bill or a letter from an employer.
Liquor store owner Slade Bowers told WKBN: ‘The Pennsylvanians have been buying us out. As you can see on our shelves, we sold plenty and we had to keep ordering more.’
Ohio governor Mike DeWine, pictured, on Tuesday issued an order requiring those trying to buy alcohol in Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Jefferson and Belmont to show state ID or documentation proving you live in the state
Ohio Gov. Mike Shawn Kelly, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, said: ‘We understand the public wants to have access to wines and spirits during these unprecedented times, but we have a responsibility to mitigate community spread of this virus to every extent possible and make sure our employees and our customers are as safe as they can be.’
Three weeks into Ohio’s stay-at-home order, Gov DeWine is facing increasing pressure to restart some nonessential work around the state, especially in areas with few confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
While the Republican governor’s administration is working on a plan to gradually get people back to work, DeWine made it clear Monday that protecting the state’s residents is his first priority. So far, Ohio has avoided massive outbreaks like ones that crippled Detroit, New York City and New Orleans.
To date, Ohio has confirmed nearly 6,900 cases and 274 deaths, according to the Department of Health. The pandemic has caused nearly 2,000 hospitalizations in Ohio, with about 600 people needing treatment in intensive care units.
