Virginia AG Says Alcohol Ad Ban Constitutional

A Virginia law banning alcohol ads from college newspapers is not a violation of First Amendment free-speech rights, the state's attorney general says.

The Roanoke Times reported July 13 that Attorney General Jerry Kilgore issued a statement supporting the law in response to a legal challenge filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The suit was filed on behalf of Virginia Tech's Collegiate Times and the University of Virginia's Cavalier Daily.

The law prohibits college papers from advertising specific alcohol products, but does allow ads for restaurants that serve alcohol as long as they refer only generically to "beer" or "mixed beverages."

Kilgore's office said the law "advances a substantial government interest ... and is no more extensive than necessary to serve such interest."