Eighty Years Ago: New Jersey Voted to Repeal Prohibition

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Spotlight Multi-Billion Dollar Impact on New Jersey Economy

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Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America

May 31, 2013, 12:57 ET

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On June 1, 1933, New Jersey voted to ratify the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, making it the fifth of 36 states to do so, ultimately ending Prohibition and repealing the 18th Amendment. Marking this occasion, the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) released a detailed economic snapshot of the industry's multi-billion dollar impact in New Jersey.

Today, the New Jersey wine and spirits industry supports more than 14,700 direct jobs, more than 4,700 supplier and service provider jobs, and approximately 19,400 total jobs statewide. The industry generates a total economic impact of $3.8 billion, a direct economic impact of $1.5 billion, and pays more than $1.2 billion in wages to New Jersey-based workers each year, according to an economic analysis released by WSWA and prepared by New York-based John Dunham & Associates.

Beyond wages and economic impact, the wine and spirits industry in New Jersey generates more than $317 million in business taxes for state government ($344 million for the federal government) and over $279 million in consumer-paid state taxes on beverage alcohol products.

"The 21st Amendment paved the way for the creation of the modern three-tier beverage alcohol regulatory system that today delivers the widest variety of products available to consumers anywhere in the world in a manner that is safe, well-regulated, and ensures reliable revenue streams for state and federal government," WSWA President and CEO Craig Wolf said.

Wolf pointed out that even today in Europe, Asia and Latin America, consumers regularly suffer because of unsafe, adulterated or counterfeit beverage alcohol. He said these issues are virtually non-existent in the United States largely because of the regulatory framework enacted by the states and federal government under the 21st Amendment.

WSWA is the national trade association representing the wholesale tier of the wine and spirits industry. It is dedicated to advancing the interests and independence of wholesale distributors and brokers of wine and spirits. Founded in 1943, WSWA has over 350 member companies in 50 states and the District of Columbia, and its members distribute more than 70 percent of all wines and spirits sold at wholesale in the United States. More information is available at www.wswa.org.

SOURCE Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America