LDS Church to Legislature: Malt beverages should not be on grocery shelves

[Happy_LDS]

What do you think about the statement given by the Church on this issue?

The politically powerful lds church has told state lawmakers it favors the controversial proposal to take flavored malt beverages off grocery store shelves.

    Church spokesman Mark Tuttle said Thursday that leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints support Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and the state's alcohol-control board's position "that the sale of distilled spirits - including so-called alcopops - should be restricted to state liquor stores.
    "To allow the sale of distilled spirits in grocery and convenience stores promotes underage drinking and undermines the state system of alcohol control."

    This is the first public statement by the lds church on restricting sales of flavored malt beverages to the state's 30 liquor outlets and 100 package agencies located in small towns and resorts. A spokesman said the church statement had been prepared in anticipation of questions on the issue.
    "There's no doubt that the battle just got tougher," said James Olsen, president of the Utah Food Industry Association, representing more than 8,000 grocery and convenience stores that oppose removing flavored malt beverages from their shelves.

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_8006581