in "44 liquormart, inc. v. rhode island" (1996), rhode island passed a law that banned liquor advertising from places that did not sell liquor. the petitioners based their suit on their first amendment right to free speech. in a unanimous decision the court held that states cannot use the twenty-first amendment to abridge freedom of speech protections under the first amendment. however, the court acknowledged the state was empowered to regulate the sale of liquor under the twenty-first amendment.