OR, NY Senators Want USPS To Be Able to Ship Alcohol

Some business experts say the move could help boost some traffic and revenue for the US Postal Service.

OR, NY Senators challenged Prohibition-era ban on alcohol shipping

If you send a package via USPS, you've seen the posters on the wall asking if you're sending anything hazardous, such as fuel, fireworks, ammunition, chemicals etc. It also includes alcohol.

Now, OR Senator Jeff Merkley and NW Senator Kristin Gillibrand have introduced a bill that would change that. The USPS ban has nothing to do with liquids, bottles, or potential breakage. It actually stems from a nearly 100-year-old ban during Prohibition, which made it illegal to ship alcohol. From 1920 til 1933, alcohol was basically banned in the US.

According to Oregon's KOIN TV:

"The bill would give the USPS two years to develop regulations and implement the law to ensure the agency can safely make the deliveries to adult consumers with identification checks in place."

Merkley says the bill would accomplish two things. First, unlike some freight companies, USPS will ship to rural locations, making it easier for such products to get to out-of-city areas. Second, it would provide competition for FedEx, UPS, DHL and other freight companies, and potentially provide a significant new revenue stream for the struggling USPS.