State issues warning about buying booze

Ohio advises against secondary markets

It’s National Consumer Protection Week, so the Ohio Division of Liquor Control and the Ohio Investigative Unit are reminding people of this: Don’t buy your booze from secondary markets, including those buying for charitable efforts or political fundraising.

“As we recognize National Consumer Protection Week, it’s important to stress that purchasing liquor outside of the state’s system harms everyone, including small businesses,” said Jim Canepa, liquor control superintendent, in a statement. “More importantly, it puts the purchaser at risk as the bottled product could have been tampered with, counterfeit, or contains liquor that isn’t safe.”

There’s nothing necessarily new going on prompting the warning, said Brandon Klein, an Ohio liquor control spokesman. “On the charitable fundraiser side, it’s more about concept of buying it from an unauthorized source,” Klein said.

Jennifer Jarrell, another liquor control spokesperson, said that for example, someone could buy liquor and dilute it.

“Consumers are not getting what they paid for. They’re not sure what a person put in it,” she said.

The overarching theme is to buy from a licensed state agency or permit holder, she said.

According to the state, buyers can often find liquor on social media and sites such as Craigslist. Those sellers buy liquor, then turn around and resell them.

Those reselling liquor can end up getting fined and possibly going to jail. In 2022, the Ohio Investigative Unit received 26 complaints, resulting in 20 warnings and two arrests.

That compares to 34 complaints, 32 warnings, and two arrests in 2021. More than 70% of complaints were made to OIU’S Cincinnati district each of those two years.

OIU officials said if people should contact their local OIU district office with complaints against individuals or businesses, or through the website at https://oiu.ohio.gov/help-center/oiudistrict.

According to the Department of Liquor, charitable and political groups should consider these things before awarding alcohol prizes at fundraisers:

● The fundraiser can award beer and intoxicating liquor to its guests as part of a raffle, door prize, or silent auction as defined in the aforementioned code. But the event also may need to go by Ohio gambling laws.

● Alcohol can be donated to groups hosting events. Groups should have copies of receipts showing they bought the product from authorized sellers in Ohio.

● Ohio liquor permit holders and Ohio liquor stores cannot donate alcohol to organizations for fundraisers.

● Before events, organizations must submit receipts for purchased spirituous liquor to the Division of Liquor Control through its online form at com.ohio.gov/charitablefundraiser. mferench@dispatch.com @Markferenchik