Tony Crowder, a whiskey enthusiast from Ripley, Tennessee, has initiated a petition to change the state’s restrictive liquor laws that prevent the shipment of distilled spirits from other states. For Crowder, enjoying whiskey means frequent travel to distilleries, which is often burdensome due to travel constraints and the risk of breakage. The longstanding Tennessee law, rooted in the Prohibition era, permits local distilleries to ship alcohol within state lines but not from outside.

Despite the repeal of national Prohibition with the 21st Amendment in 1933, Tennessee maintained its restrictions. Crowder’s frustration has led him to seek change through an online petition, aiming for a minimum of 2,000 signatures before presenting it to state lawmakers like Rep. Chris Hurt, who shows interest in his concerns.

Crowder believes reforming the law could enhance consumer access to a diverse range of spirits and stimulate economic growth in Tennessee’s alcohol industry. In 2018, the distilled spirits sector contributed an estimated $8.6 billion to the state’s economy, bolstered by tourism related to whiskey and bourbon trails. Crowder supports the idea that allowing shipments could level the playing field for smaller distilleries against larger, well-known brands that dominate wholesaler portfolios.

Support for Crowder’s petition extends to industry figures, including Lee Kennedy from Leiper’s Fork Distillery, who argues that direct-to-consumer shipping would benefit small-scale distilleries.

The petition is currently active on change.org but has garnered fewer than 500 signatures so far. Crowder hopes the collective effort will illuminate the need for reform and prompt state officials to reconsider the existing laws.