Cold beer and wine just got easier to buy in Tulsa on October 1.

Based on a statewide vote, Oklahoma has liberalized its liquor laws and that has had a dramatic effect on the availability of beer and wine.

Liquor stores were legalized in 1959 and for years, Oklahoma had liquor-by-the drink restrictions. Only room temperature beer could be sold in liquor stores to discourage drinking while driving. Only 3.2 beer could be sold at convenience stores and groceries.

State voters approved State Question 792 in 2016 and that opened the door to retailers like Quik-Trip, Reasor’s, Wal-Mart, Wal-Greens and big box stores to sell hard beer and wine.

Groceries and convenience stores can sell cold, hard beer and wine Monday through Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Liquor stores can sell cold, full-strength beer and wine and sell non-alcoholic items Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.

The new liberalized laws require that all employees who sell alcoholic drinks be licensed and attend mandatory training to try to slow down alcohol abuse.

The new laws also promote explosive growth for brewery taprooms.

Sixteen dry counties in the state repealed liquor-by-the-drink to promote alcohol consumption.

And proponents want more availability of alcohol.

“The new beer laws, both at the state and local level, have already spurred growth for the Oklahoma beer industry, but we’ve only scratched the surface,” said Lisette Barnes, president of the Oklahoma Beer Alliance.