Tennessee Cannabiz

The Alcohol Monster: Tennessee’s Dirty Secret Alcohol Monster  Tennessee’s Favorite Drug Whiskey is the state mascot politicians never admit. Tennessee pours out distillery tours, Broadway bars, and country festivals like they’re holy sacraments — all while raking in taxes. Every drink poured on-premise carries a 15% “liquor-by-the-drink” tax, plus excise fees and sales tax on top. That cash stream feeds local governments and even sends a cut to K–12 schools. Lawmakers point to those checks with pride, as if public education should depend on hangovers. Tourism loves the bottle too. In recent years, non-local visitors to Tennessee distilleries generated billions of dollars in spending and over $3 billion in economic impact. Politicians wave that flag, calling it “economic development.” They don’t wave the bill Tennessee families keep paying. The True Cost: Blood, Steel, and Cells Behind the neon shine is a wreckage. Alcohol is no harmless indulgence: In 2023, 7,565 impaired-driving ...