Ending all you can drink specials won’t stop binge drinking

Like many communities, La Crosse has a problem with binge drinking. But a proposal to be debated by the La Crosse city council designed to prevent the problem is not a good solution. The council will debate putting an end to those all you can drink specials offered by some bars. Customers pay five bucks, get a wristband, and can drink as much as their stomach’s allow. The proposal would put an end to these all you can drink specials. But that would likely do little to curb binge drinking. First, only a small handful, maybe 3 or 4, La Crosse bars even offer these specials. There are also enough places to get cheap drinks, even without all you can drink specials, that you could get good and loaded for just a few bucks. This proposal does nothing to prevent young people from partying at home before even heading downtown. But if this legislation were to be approved, it would also likely have to include a ban on all you can drink specials at bars, but also at community events, like the Between the Bluffs Beer and Cheese Fest, or the Craft Beer Night at Oktoberfest. These events both are very popular, and bring lots of people to town. Both have a significant economic impact on our community. Do we really want to put an end to these popular events, just so we can feel like we are doing something to prevent binge drinking?