Maine Governor Janet Mills today signed L.D. 205 extending cocktails to-go from restaurants and bars with a food purchase until September 2022.
“Governor Mills acted quickly to support Maine’s restaurants and bars by allowing cocktails to-go via executive order during the pandemic,” said Jay Hibbard, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Senior Vice President of State Government Relations. “Cocktails to-go provided a much-needed lifeline for struggling on-premise locations and prevented the permanent closure of many of these businesses. Now that this measure is permanent, hospitality businesses will have increased stability as they begin the long path to recovery. We applaud the Maine Legislature and Governor Mills for supporting the state’s businesses and for providing increased convenience to consumers.”
Background:
Currently, more than 30 states plus the District of Columbia are allowing restaurants and/or bars to sell cocktails to-go. Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky and the District of Columbia have all made COVID-era cocktails to-go measures permanent. More than 30 other states are also considering allowing, extending or making permanent cocktails to-go measures.
The distilled spirits industry is committed to responsibility and encourages moderation for adults who choose to drink alcohol. Cocktails to-go are intended for home consumption. Laws governing alcohol consumption must always be observed.