Prevention Activities

There are several activities in which prevention coalitions, law enforcement, and retailers work together to prevent underage drinking.  The "Not So Easy" Program includes compliance checks, Project Sticker Shock, and Posters at Retailers.  These activities help the community to prevent underage drinking and reduce the consequences related to it.

Compliance Checks

With compliance checks, law enforcement utilize underage youth to act as buyers to test a retailer's compliance with state and city/town laws related to the sale of alcohol to underage youth. Youth that are supervised by officers go in to liquor stores, restaurants, bars, and other retail establishments to see if an employee refuses to sell/serve alcohol to the underage youth.  If the employee follows the protocol for checking IDs and does not sell/serve the underage youth....  If he/she does not follow correct protocol and does sell or serve alcohol to the youth, law enforcement would notify the licensee with 48 hours of the violation.

Project Sticker Shock

Project Sticker Shock is designed to provide messages to adults about the consequences of buying alcohol to provide to those under the legal age of 21.  Liquor stores are asked to work with prevention coalitions and youth to place stickers with messages on packs of beer, wine, and bags about purchasing/providing alcohol to minors.  Project Sticker Shock can occur several times each year and receives press and media coverage to spread the word about not purchasing alcohol for underage youth to parents, siblings, friends, and the community at-large.

Posters At Retailers

All alcohol licensees can participate in Posters at Retailers activities.  Posters with messages about not serving anyone under age 21, consequences of underage drinking, and other information related to underage drinking are posted in licensee establishments such as restaurants, bars/taverns, liquor stores.  Posters at Retailers can occur several times each year and receives press and media coverage to spread the word about not purchasing alcohol for underage youth to parents, siblings, friends, and the community at-large.