by on 2015-01-08

Ten liquor stores within the cities of San Bernardino and Highland were recently found to agree to sell alcohol to volunteer decoys after an operation hoping to prevent the sale of alcohol to underage individuals was conducted at 22 liquor stores by a group concerned about high rates of underage drinking in San Bernardino County. The Young Advocates of San Bernardino, composed of Cal State San Bernardino students, partnered with community groups from San Diego and Los Angeles counties this month and coordinated visits to local alcohol outlets to discover how many – if any – were willing to sell alcohol to underage youth. The operation, modeled after “minor decoy” operations known to be put on by local police forces, targeted 12 communities through these three counties and used youthful-looking over-21-year-olds to attempt to purchase alcohol at liquor stores. The operation also found that in the city of Victorville, 50 percent of retailers were willing to sell to volunteers without first checking identification, the highest percentage of all three counties where decoys were deployed. Federal law makes it a crime to sell alcohol to any person under the age of 21, and industry experts have recommended clerks to check the IDs of anyone who appears to be under the age of 30. Amanda Balido, one of the Young Advocates who participated in the operation, said, “Thirty percent of the liquor stores did not check for I.D. …Some of these liquor stores are near schools, and that type of exposure is a threat to our youth.” Organizers said the alcohol retailers visited during Operation Safe Sale faced no real legal consequences, but the effort was intended to warn them of legal ramifications of illegal business practices. If caught by law enforcement, alcohol retailers who sell alcohol to minors face a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. They also face possible license suspension and jail time. Timothy Gorsuch, Director with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control, said, “Businesses are the first line of defense to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. Being vigilant in checking identification of those who appear youthful will go a long way.” The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse states that approximately 5,000 young people die each year as a result of underage drinking, including vehicle collisions, homicides, suicide and related injuries. Alcohol Justice found that moderate-to-high alcohol consumption costs roughly $38.4 billion annually statewide, totaling $1,000 per state resident. Organizers said their long-term goal is to protect youth from early exposure and access to alcohol. Noah Ghossein, a Young Advocate member, said, “I’m excited because I believe that what we’re doing and what we’re trying to accomplish will have a positive impact on society. We have laws in place to protect minors from accessing alcohol. They serve a purpose, and we just want to see them enforced.” [END] ORIGINAL PR: Chinyere Amobi Community Writer Concerned about the high rates of underage drinking in San Bernardino county, the Young Advocates of San Bernardino joined forces with community groups from San Diego and Los Angeles Counties last week to conduct Operation Safe Sale. Composed of Cal State San Bernardino students, the Young Advocates hope the series of coordinated visits to local alcohol outlets will highlight the willingness of many retailers to sell alcohol to underage youth. Modeled after ‘minor decoy’ operations, the collaborative targeted 12 communities within these counties, and deployed youthful looking over 21-year-olds to dozens of liquor stores to attempt to buy alcohol. Of the 22 liquor stores visited within the cities of San Bernardino and Highland, ten agreed to sell alcohol to volunteers without checking their identification. Within the entire San Bernardino County operation, which also included Victorville, 50% of retailers were willing to sell to volunteers without checking for identification, the highest percentage in all counties involved in Operation Safe Sale. Because it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 21, industry experts recommend that clerks check the IDs of anyone who appears to be younger than 30. “Underage drinking is a concern in the city of San Bernardino due to the number of liquor stores in its neighborhoods,” said Amanda Balido, one of the Young Advocates. “During the summer, 30% of the liquor stores did not check for I.D.; I’m more surprised at the results the second time around. Some of these liquor stores are near schools, and that type of exposure is a threat to our youth.” Studies show that alcohol retailers are one of the primary sources of alcohol for underage youth. While alcohol retailers visited during Operation Safe Sale faced no real legal consequences, the effort was intended to raise their awareness about the importance of their business practices. It was also intended to warn them of the legal ramifications of illegal business practices. If caught by law enforcement selling alcohol to minors, alcohol retailers face a minimum $1,000 fine, 24 hours community service as well as possible license suspension and jail time. “With the holiday season upon us, it is important for all of us to be aware of the tragedies that can result from underage drinking,” said Timothy Gorsuch, Director with the California Alcoholic Beverage Control. “Businesses are the first line of defense to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. Being vigilant in checking identification of those who appear youthful will go a long way to make this a safe holiday season for everyone.” Organizers hope Operation Safe Sale will bolster local efforts to reduce health and safety problems associated with underage alcohol use. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, alcohol is the most frequently used drug among teenagers, and a major cause of death among persons under the age of 21. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse states that each year about 5,000 young people die as a result of underage drinking, including motor vehicle crashes, homicides, suicide and related injuries. In terms of economic impact within the state, moderate-to-high alcohol consumption costs roughly $38.4 billion per year, or $1,000 for each resident of the state, according to Alcohol Justice. This is the first cross-regional effort for the collaborative. The Young Advocates and other participating community groups are linked together through the Institute for Public Strategies, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing alcohol and substance abuse in communities across Southern California and elsewhere. According to organizers, their long-term strategy is to change the environment in Southern California to protect youth from early exposure and easy access to alcohol. The Young Advocates are excited to be a part of such a wide-reaching operation. “I’m excited because I believe that what we’re doing, and what we’re trying to accomplish will have a positive impact on society,” explains Noah Ghossein, with the Young Advocates. “We have laws in place to protect minors from accessing alcohol. They serve a purpose, and we just want to see them enforced.”