Over the past few decades, numerous studies have found that alcohol consumption is associated with a significant portion of homicides. Often, these murders and other violent crimes happen in the vicinity of alcohol outlets, leading cities to take on zoning and licensing ordinances as a means of controlling crime.
A new report from CityHealth, a policy research organization, grades the nation’s 40 largest cities on their efforts to reduce the density of liquor outlets, impose operating conditions on alcohol retailers, and become more deliberate in their processes granting and renewing alcohol licenses.
Eight cities, including Chicago, Boston, and Las Vegas, received a gold medal, meaning they have a policy that applies to all alcohol sales, addresses public safety, and authorizes the city to close an alcohol retailer. Another eight cities, including San Francisco, Memphis, and Nashville, received a silver medal, meaning they had a law that applies only to some alcohol sales, such as policies that apply only to new retailers. The remaining 24 cities did not have such policies in place.
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