Liquor Quicker? Blue laws, debunked.

• Author: Mangu-Ward, Katherine
• Position: Citings - Brief article

CONNECTICUT, the District of Columbia, and many other jurisdictions prohibit liquor stores from operating on Sundays. The antiquated bans, known as "blue laws," have shown astonishing staying power in a country that has generally ceased to honor the Christian Sabbath, at least when it comes to buying and selling. One common justification for the practice: Making it harder to purchase a bottle of Jack Daniel's one day a week means people will drink less.

Not so, according to a January study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Economists B. Douglas Bernhelm of Stanford University, Jonathan Meer of Texas A&M University, and Neva K. Novarro of Pomona College compared states where liquor is available...