Cut Down on Drinking : The Community, Part 2

by National Institute of Health

(Page 4 of 4)

Improve Enforcement

Enforce Establishment Policies - One way to reduce sales to minors is to check the age identification of all individuals who appear to be younger than 30. Establishments that regularly check IDs and closely supervise sales by employees have lower rates of underage sales. Communities can request owners and managers of alcohol establishments to require ID checks as a standard policy and to make sure their employees understand this policy. Communities that publicize and praise retailers who do not sell to anyone under 21 encourage retailers to become partners in the effort to prevent underage drinking.

Conduct Compliance Checks - Compliance checks can show whether sellers and servers of alcohol are obeying minimum age laws. The buyer should preferably be age 18 to 19. Avoid the borderline age of 20 because the buyer may turn 21 between purchase and testimony. Using multiple buyers provides a more accurate check of the business and allows the business a greater opportunity to have at least partial success. If a sale is made, the police can take appropriate action. Police incident reports can also point to the merchants who made the underage sales. These enforcement strategies work better if they are widely publicized to outlet owners and their staff.

Conduct Compliance Checks - Compliance checks can show whether sellers and servers of alcohol are obeying minimum age laws. The buyer should preferably be age 18 to 19. Avoid the borderline age of 20 because the buyer may turn 21 between purchase and testimony. Using multiple buyers provides a more accurate check of the business and allows the business a greater opportunity to have at least partial success. If a sale is made, the police can take appropriate action. Police incident reports can also point to the merchants who made the underage sales. These enforcement strategies work better if they are widely publicized to outlet owners and their staff.

Community action greatly increases enforcement

In Minnesota, law enforcement officers found that in many communities teens could easily buy alcohol in almost half of the stores tested with compliance checks. Citizens united to work for better enforcement of local laws to stop minors from having easy access to alcohol. Calling themselves the Action on Alcohol and Teens, the original group of seven broadened its network by speaking to civic groups, setting up an e-mail action alert, starting a newsletter, and reaching out to other already existing prevention groups. Efforts resulted in a St. Paul City Council mandate to conduct yearly compliance checks for all St. Paul liquor establishments and a decision to prosecute parents and others over age 21 who illegally give alcohol to kids.

Putting the mayor on the team gets results

In Pottsville, Pennsylvania, an anti-underage drinking group received funds from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to develop a community coalition. The coalition, the Pottsville Partnership for Youth Alcohol Prevention, in turn asked the mayor to chair its steering committee. With the mayor on the team, the partnership passed a city ordinance requiring all alcohol licensees in Pottsville to pass an alcohol server training course. (In Pennsylvania, the State Liquor Control Board offers businesses free training and technical assistance.) Eighty percent of the licensees completed the training in the first 3 months after the ordinance was passed. Responding positively to the training, participants also asked for more help with other responsibilities, such as checking IDs.

Deter Third-Party Sales - Surveys suggest that many minors get alcohol from adults of legal age who buy it for them. Such "third-party sales" are illegal in most States. In those States, adults who buy alcohol for underage persons can be warned, cited, or arrested by the police. Merchants can also inform their customers about criminal and civil liabilities for providing alcohol to individuals under the age of 21.

Change Social Norms

Remove Alcohol Promotions That Appeal to Children - Children see and hear positive messages about alcohol every day. Billboard ads and store promotions for alcoholic beverages often display attractive young people and cute cartoon characters. Many products, from T-shirts to cookie jars, feature alcohol beverage logos. Communities can ask billboard companies and local merchants to stop alcohol promotions and remove tie-in products that target children.

About the Author

NIH is the nation's medical research agency - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.