(Stop
Teenage Alcohol Purchases)
What is S.T.O.P.?
Operation STOP (Stop Teenage Alcohol Purchases) is a community-wide effort
to educate liquor permittees about the law, restrict teenage access to
alcohol, and promote good business practices.
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History of STOP |
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STOP was officially launched in March of 1993 in Ansonia, CT by VSAAC. The need for the program was found in first hand accounts by parents and youth that concluded that acquiring alcohol was not difficult for young people. Further study by VSAAC found that a large percentage of Valley youth say that they are able to purchase their own alcohol. This knowledge, combined with the support of parents, permittees, and police departments, made STOP a reality. Liquor permittees in Connecticut get little if any education in how to
prevent underage sales, and often find out only after an arrest is made that
the penalty for an underage sale can be thousands of dollars, plus numerous
business days closed. The permittees often readily admit that they do not
have the training that they need and an anonymous survey of Valley permittees found that about half said that they did not know how to spot a
false or altered identification. |
The STOP Program works
WITH
permittees to make sure they have the training necessary to
identify false IDs, learn "tricks of the trade" of identifying underage
customers, and prevent sales to minors. STOP also teaches them about the
legal and criminal liabilities of underage sales.
The STOP program has been emulated in one form or another by more than a dozen communities across the country, has been endorsed by The Century Council (a national alcohol industry trade group), and is one of the highlighted strategies used by the Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking.
What do
participating vendors
agree to do?
Essentially nothing but follow the law. Participating vendors sign an
agreement that states they will be extra cautious when dealing with
potentially underage customers. The Valley Substance Abuse Action Council (VSAAC) trains
vendors about how to properly use
Age Statement Forms and clarifies issues regarding the laws of alcohol
sales.
What do the vendors get in
return?
For participating in the STOP program, permittees receive a window decal
saying they are part of the program, ongoing free training for their staff
regarding proper selling techniques, publicity in occasional VSAAC
advertisements, and mention in VSAAC publications.
How many permittees
are involved?
About 100 of the Valley's 170 liquor permittees are currently involved in
the STOP program. This includes restaurants, bars, caterers, banquet halls,
social and ethnic clubs, groceries, and, of course, package stores.
How can I get involved?
Contact The Valley Substance Abuse Action Council (VSAAC) (203) 736-8566 for
more information or to set up a training program for your business.