is there a legal way to consume alcohol bought at a store, outside of a home, hotel room, etc.?

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨pruwybn@discuss.tchncs.de⁩ to ⁨[deleted]⁩

I’m thinking in the U.S. and Canada. For example, if you’re on vacation, you’ve checked out of your hotel room and have several hours until your flight, and you have some cans of beer left over. I know you could sneakily drink them in a park or soblmething, but I’m just curious if there’s any war to do it that’s legal.

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copd@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Upvoted for understanding everyone on this website isn’t American and referencing the countries specific to this discussion clearly in the main body of the question

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- Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Rest of the world wondering what kind of Freedom©®™ makes it illegal to drink outside?!? 😂
  
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  - hperrin@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    The freedom that puritanical Christians enjoyed to write all the laws.
    
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  - wahming@monyet.cc ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Eh, it’s pretty common in a lot of other countries as well. Those with significant Muslim populations, and even countries like Norway.
    
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  - BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    You mean the freedom to pull up to a drive through liquor store (and I mean drive through, you’re inside a large barn-like structure), order a case of beer (which they place in your trunk for you), two gin and tonics which they hand you in Styrofoam cups with kids and straws, hand them some cash and drive away?
    
    I know, that’s some awful Freedom.
    
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  - Tebbie@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I first found out about this while trying to leave a bar with a bottle of beer when I was 22. I was like, “dude, I’m not wasting this, so you’re telling me I have to get smashed for the next few minutes if I was to leave the bar without eating my drink?”.
    
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southsamurai@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Drinking laws are local, or at least county level in most places. My town doesn’t have any about drinking in public at all, just about drunkenness. The next town over is no public drinking at all, not even on your porch.

So there’s no single answer, it will depend on where your are within the US. Couldn’t say anything about Canada though, never been and don’t know enough.

Be warned though, you may not be able to board a flight if you’re drunk.

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- Dasus@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  The next town over is no public drinking at all, not even on your porch.
  
  Ah, freedom.
  
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  - BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Don’t like the laws in your town? Your free to petition to change them.
    
    I’ve lived in places with drive-through liquor stores where I could buy a gin and tonic in a styrofoam cup and drive away.
    
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- Starb3an@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Las Vegas doesn’t give a fuck how drunk you are to enter the airport. Literally had to guide and push my drunk coworker through TSA. I’m not sure if he even remembers getting on the plane.
  
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  - Notyou@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I always assume those No Drunks rules is just to make sure the loud drunks stay quiet. Many people have a few drinks in the airport bar and stumble to the gate. As long as the drunk isn’t being loud then they are mostly ignored.
    
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  - SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Throw in a couple quaaludes and this is the only way to fly.
    
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BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
It really depends on the town/city. Just drink it mostly wherever you want, just do it in a reasonable way.

I’ve sat on city park picnic tables drinking beers where it’s technically not permitted. Or at beaches where it is (just no glass).

The only time I’ve ever had an issue was in a college town where cops were dicks (decades ago).

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- FinnFooted@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Actually, many parks do allow drinking. If you check the cities bylaws, they often state explicit locations where open containers are allowed and it often tends to be the major town parks.
  
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GrabtharsHammer@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
It depends on where you are. Public consumption laws are local.

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bionicjoey@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
The Wire - paper bag

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Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
In the US, off the top of my head:

Pedestrians in Paradise, Nevada (the Vegas Strip) are allowed open containers in plastic or aluminum containers.

The French Quarter in New Orleans has similar open container laws.
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- itsnicodegallo@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  A lot of Austin, Texas too.
  
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  - ares35@kbin.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    when i lived down in texas (and a couple other places), the stores had can-sized paper bags for the big cans and for regular 12oz ones. and i'd see guys having clerks at the store 'bag' their beer....
    
    then see them a few lights down the road chugging one at a red.
    
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  - Nemo@midwest.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    As of 2920, Chicago before 9pm.
    
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- lando55@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  In Baltimore, MD you can drink in Hamsterdam
  
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- AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I thought it was pretty crazy the way I found this out. I was in the French Quarter doing the usual tourist stuff and went up to a bar open to the street. They asked “for here or to go?”, then gave me a paper cup to go and the glass one packaged as a souvenir.
  
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- NoIWontPickAName@kbin.earth ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Kansas City iirc
  
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- FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  There are a number of cities that have designated areas where it's OK to drink within a few blocks downtown or something where there are a bunch of bars.
  
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phoneymouse@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Some restaurants have a bring your own” policy. Go there, order food, and then you can drink your own drinks.

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- Mubelotix@jlai.lu ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  It’s called “droit de bouchon” in France, meaning “cork right”. Very old practice, commonly used by professionals
  
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  - johannesvanderwhales@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    In the US you’ll often be charged a corking fee if you do it.
    
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- AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Around here (Boston), it’s because liquor licenses are so expensive and difficult to get. Some restaurants can’t afford them or for some reason can’t get one, so they let you bring your own. No corking fee
  
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hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Is drinking in public illegal across the pond??? wut

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- Queen___Bee@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Yes, outside of Las Vegas, NV I don’t know any place that allows it, but I could be wrong. I think it harkens back to the days of Prohibition with dry counties. Someone can correct me, as my history recollection isn’t great. I’m guessing it’s not much of a problem in the UK, or wherever you are located?
  
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  - Zeppo@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Like many laws in the US, it’s a hodgepodge of local, county and state regulations. As someone else here mentioned you can get one small city where you can drink legally in a park and in the neighboring town you technically can’t even drink on your porch. Problem with the latter situation is that not only is it ridiculous, but enforcement is likely to be unevenly centered on people of lower income or whoever the police happen to not like.
    
    Cities such as Denver allow drinking in parks, but make the law difficult to follow - you have to be more than 50 feet from “any roadway, playground, recreation center, or swimming pool”. So I guess I’m the center of large parks only.
    
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  - BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    You’d be wrong.
    
    It really depends on the locale. It’s largely divided between state and private land, but there’s plenty of state land that it’s legal to consume alcoholic beverages. I’ve been in many parks where it’s legal.
    
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  - FryHyde@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Also most of Quebec doesn’t give a shit about drinking in public places, as long as you don’t do it on the train or the bus.
    
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- funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  freest country in the world!
  
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Tebbie@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
In my midwest city, you can’t have an open container in public. The way they work around this is you put the container in a brown paper bag and drink out of it that way. You can also put it in a different container. Just don’t be visibly intoxicated and you’ll be safe almost all of the time.

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HubertManne@kbin.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
no issues if your vacation was to the french quarter of new orleans.

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card797@champserver.net ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Hahaha. Live in Louisiana. Drink anywhere you want just don’t be absolutely wasted while doing so.

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NeptuneOrbit@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Sure, the US has lots of places with no open container laws. I doubt you are going to go take a taxi outside of the city to drink a couple beers though…

If if were me? I’d give them to a homeless guy, or just leave them in my hotel room. Because yeah, most places either won’t let you bring outside drinks (besides some fancy restaurants where you will need to buy a fancy meal) or will forbid alcohol entirely. Potential to bring them home in a checked bag.

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- BearOfaTime@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  That doesn’t address the underlying question about legality.
  
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  - NeptuneOrbit@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I did. And it was covered by others. The answer is YES in the US is commonly illegal to just crack a beet.
    
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- Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  I like the homeless guy idea. Even if they don’t drink, you just gave them a powerful item to barter with.
  
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safetyincartoons@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Not that I know of, only best option I have found is getting the largest coffee cup with top you can find and fill that up with beer. Also make sure there is a place to pee.

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- funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  get a really large cup and you solve the last problem with the first
  
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aeharding@vger.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
You can drink liquor in most parks in my city (USA)

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- Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  What city are you referring to?
  
  This post: vinepair.com/…/map-states-drinking-public-parks
  
  In any of the following states, you can basically kiss the concept of enjoying drinks in public parks goodbye: Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia all enforce statewide bans on public alcohol consumption with no exceptions. If you live in any of these states, it’s time to make some friends with nice backyards.
  
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  - aeharding@vger.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Madison, Wisconsin.
    
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  - AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I was surprised by how few states had laws against public drinking : i thought it was most.
    
    Then I clicked into the details for my state of the above link and found out how useless that map is. Technically True but for Massachusetts:
    
    Massachusetts upholds its strict tendencies with its open-container laws as well, so while there is technically no statewide ban on public drinking, it is effectively illegal
    
    Yeah, open container laws. The state doesn’t care about whether you drink in public (most towns due), as long as you don’t have an open container of alcohol. Wtf
    
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HubertManne@kbin.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
walk around a neighborhood and find someone hanging around their house. ask them if they would like to share your beers on their property.

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Droptherock@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I do this all the time. I’m in the US and I like to smoke cigarettes when I drink. Can’t smoke inside so I just find an outdoor area, usually near a smoker’s post, and just start drinking. No hotel staff have ever mentioned it to me in the dozen-or-so times I’ve done it. I usually stay out pretty late too. Around midnight. Disclaimers: IANAL and I’m sure I could be ticketed or even arrested depending on the state if an officer saw me doing this.

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h3mlocke@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
The alleyway behind Costco

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TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Consider why you want to drink so badly too…

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- Devi@kbin.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Sounds like in this scenario they don't want to waste something that they've purchased
  
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  - SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Plenty of people will leave large portions of unfinished drinks.
    
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- Ultragigagigantic@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Because, drug warrior, it’s my body my choice.
  
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  - TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Next, consider why the question made you so angry. Wow.
    
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NaibofTabr@infosec.pub ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
All Due Respect

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- NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Impressive. Usamericans are able to celebrate and praise themselves for their own hypocrisy.
  
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- pruwybn@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Nice, I haven’t seen that.
  
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swordgeek@lemmy.ca ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Here in Calgary AB, public consumption of alcohol is allowed in some parks.

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Mango@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
BYOB restaurants!

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Evil_incarnate@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
In a lot of places, if an establishment has a liquor licence, it is forbidden to drink your own alcohol you brought from outside. Technically you can’t bring a beer back to your hotel room from anywhere but the hotel’s own bar.

Alcohol laws are complicated.

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