Post Office Looking Into Shipping Beer, Wine & Liquor But Not Marijuana
The deficit-ridden Post Office has already indicated it's looking in to shipping beer, wine and liquor to increase revenues by about $50 million a year.
Congress is the only thing standing in its way thanks to a 100-year-old law that was the result of the temperance movement. The law states that "spirituous, vinous, malted, fermented or other intoxicating liquors of any kind" cannot be shipped by mail. Of course, the law does not apply to competitors FedEx (FDX) and UPS (UPS) -- this is part of the problem. The USPS is hampered by myriad laws, rules and regulations, and Congressional mandates related to its unique position as an agency that provides a "public good" under the direction of the Federal government.
Related: Post Office Will Not Need a Taxpayer Bailout, If Congress Acts: Postmaster General
$50 million may not save the agency from its billion dollar deficit, but USPS Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe sounded a hopeful tone in an interview with Lauren Lyster of The Daily Ticker.
"First of all we think that Congress will work with us. The fact that we have a bill in the House already and one proposed in the Senate, that's good... If you look at what's happened in the course of the last 20 years with small wineries and a lot of microbreweries, people like to be able to go online and order a 6-pack of beer or else visit a winery and mail a couple of bottles home. It makes good sense for us, it's convenient."
Related: "Marijuana Is a Vegetable" and Belongs in the Farmers' Market: Pot VC
That got The Daily Ticker thinking...
As more and more states pass laws legalizing the use of marijuana and medical marijuana, is there a future in shipping weed? Could pot save the Post Office?
"You will never hear me bring that up as a suggestion," says Donahoe with a smile (Watch the above vide0).
So when exactly does Donahoe think Joe Sixpack will be able to ship beer and booze via the Post Office?
"As soon as that legislation gets passed, we'll make sure you can do that."
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