City of Joplin will not ban sale of alcohol ‘shooter’ bottles

The city of Joplin will NOT be banning the sale of alcohol shooter bottles within city limits.

The 6-3 vote against the ban came Monday night after several representatives of local businesses and grocers spoke in opposition of the ban.

The proposed ordinance would have amended Chapter 10 of the City Code relating to alcoholic beverages by enacting a prohibition of shooters/miniature alcohol bottles.

Critics of the ban say this would not have been a solution to the littering issue brought up by an area businessman and his group who pick up the massive amount of bottles thrown about the city streets.

Opponents also stated this would cost the city a lot of money in sales tax revenue for small businesses. They also noted the recyclability of the bottle itself, saying a program to properly dispose of those would be more useful.

Supporters of the bill say people are drinking and driving and easily concealing their actions with these small shooters by throwing them out of their vehicle windows. They also note that the plastic of these bottles is much harder to pick up than other items that get littered around town.