JOCELYNE LLOYD: Government takes steps to address P.E.I.’s drinking problem

There are 18 P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission stores dotted around the Island, as well as 12 agency outlets attached to private businesses. Photo by The Guardian /FileArticle contentP.E.I.’s Rob Lantz government has faced some criticism for decisions deemed out of touch with Prince Edward Islanders. But one possibly unpopular move deserves commendation for taking steps to save Islanders’ lives.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentAs announced June 29, the government is taking on perhaps the biggest threat to Islanders’ well-being by introducing the province’s first standalone alcohol strategy.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThere is no question that P.E.I. has a drinking problem. The numbers are shared in the strategy’s introduction: Alcohol contributes to 135 deaths and nearly 7,000 hospital visits per year in the province, and paying for its outcomes costs the province more than $131 million a year.Article contentCultural normArticle contentAs I write this column, it’s July in P.E.I. The weather is warm and people are gathered on patios, wharfs and sidewalk tables, toasting the long days of sun and sand. The babble of voices coming from beer gardens and pleasure cruises is the background music of any excursion downtown. People enjoy socializing together and that often includes a few drinks. I’m no different.Article contentDon’t worry, though, the P.E.I. government is not coming for your well-earned night out with friends. The new alcohol strategy suggests the most problematic drinking behaviour happens at home by alcohol that is only too easy to come by.Article contentThere are 18 P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission stores dotted around the Island, as well as 12 agency outlets attached to private businesses. Popping out for a bottle of wine has never been easier, with 94 per cent of civic addresses in P.E.I. located within a 15-minute drive of one of these stores.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentCOVID-19 closuresArticle contentMessing with that easy access would be sure to invite widespread outcry. We only need to remember the backlash in March 2020 when the provincial government locked down liquor stores along with every other retail and entertainment establishment not deemed essential.Article contentGiven one day’s notice of the pending closure, lineups quickly formed outside the PEILCC while consumer groups and addictions organizations responded with alarm. The frenzied liquor stockpiling people were carrying out became a source of punchlines, but also pointed to a troubling reliance on accessing alcohol.Article content Customers line up outside Oak Tree Place liquor store in Charlottetown in March of 2020 to stock up on supplies, following an announcement that liquor stores across the province would be closed until further notice. Photo by The Guardian /FileArticle contentOne Vice headline declared, “P.E.I. is a mess over coronavirus liquor store closures.” The government was excoriated on social media and slammed by Opposition members in the legislature for the sudden closure. The province was forced to reverse the order the following day.Article contentEase of accessArticle contentAllowing for better access of alcohol was also one of the primary talking points of the Council of the Federation meetings held in P.E.I. this past week, with premiers in nine of 10 provinces committing to striking down trade barriers related to importing and exporting beer and booze across provincial borders.