Michael Eugene Johnson argues that allowing beer and wine sales in grocery stores is not a reliable solution to food deserts in Maryland. He warns it could harm public health, oversaturate neighborhoods with alcohol, and threaten local independent store owners, urging lawmakers to pursue healthier, community-focused alternatives. (Photo Credit: Unsplash / Stephen Kong)

By Michael Eugene Johnson  

While I have deep deep respect for Rev. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr. and his tireless work for our Baltimore communities , his recent piece (“It’s time to allow beer and wine sales in Maryland’s grocery stores,” Feb. 4, Afro.com) suggesting that beer and wine sales are the key to solving our food desert crisis warrants a more cautious perspective. 

We all share the goal of ensuring every resident has access to fresh, healthy food, but we must be careful not to create new problems while trying to solve old ones. The struggle to attract grocery stores to underserved neighborhoods is real and heartbreaking. However, relying on alcohol sales to bridge the financial gap is a precarious strategy. Many of our neighborhoods are already over-saturated with liquor outlets, which community leaders like myself  have spent decades trying to manage due to their impact on public safety and health. Adding alcohol to the aisles of a family grocery store risks further normalizing high-density alcohol access in the very places where we are trying to promote wellness.  

Michael Eugene Johnson is creator of the Pikes Studio Cinema and cofounder of Black Men Unifying Black Men. This week, why alcohol sales in grocery stores might not be the best solution to food deserts. (Photo Credit: Meta (Facebook)/ Michael Eugene Johnson)

We must also consider the “human” side of our local economy. Baltimore’s independent liquor store owners are often neighborhood fixtures who have invested their life savings into their businesses. Allowing large national chains to enter this market—with their massive scale and lower prices—could inadvertently push these local entrepreneurs to the brink. Modernizing our laws shouldn’t have to mean displacing the small business owners who stayed in our city when others left.  

Rather than looking to beer and wine as a “silver bullet,” let’s ask our lawmakers for creative, health-focused incentives. Let’s explore grants for refrigeration, tax credits for local produce sourcing, and improved transit links. We can find a way to bring fresh carrots and kale to our neighborhoods without relying on the sale of alcohol to make it happen. Let’s work together on a solution that feeds our families without compromising the hard-won stability of our streets.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.