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Booze sting snares
116 stores
Sales to minors remain 'persistent and widespread,' says the state health director
By Helen Altonn
Star-BulletinA state and city sting operation this year uncovered 116 Oahu businesses illegally selling alcohol to underage youths, officials said today.
The businesses were cited by Liquor Commission investigators, and the cases are pending before the commission. Liquor licenses for the businesses may be revoked or suspended, and they could be fined as much as $2,000.
Store clerks were also cited by Honolulu police officers, and those cases were referred to the Honolulu Prosecutor's Office and the District Court.
Sale of alcohol by a store clerk to anyone under age 21 is a misdemeanor subject to fines of as much as $2,000 or up to one year in prison, or both.
The state Department of Health began planning liquor stings after a 1996 survey of students showed that 24 percent of sixth-graders, 38 percent of eighth-graders, 46 percent of 10th-graders and 59 percent of 12th-graders could easily buy alcohol.
Legislation was adopted last year to provide immunity to 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds to participate in the sting activities.
The Health Department's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division worked on an education and enforcement program with the Prevention and Control Program of the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, the Honolulu Liquor Commission and the Honolulu Police Department.
Bruce Anderson, state health director, said the results show that "while the majority of vendors refuse to sell to minors, there remains a persistent and widespread problem regarding youth access to alcohol products in Hawaii through commercial vendors."
Youths aged 18 to 20 -- "project research assistants" -- were sent to randomly selected stores to try to buy alcohol. Liquor Commission investigators and police officers accompanied them. From June to August last year, they visited 292 Oahu businesses and found 79.5 percent complying with the law.
That first compliance program was largely intended to provide a base line for future operations, and no law enforcement was done. Those selling to the underage buyers were sent "educational warning letters," and those following the law were sent congratulatory letters.
Enforcement was added to the program this year when it continued from January through April with checks of 296 randomly selected Oahu businesses.
Those refusing to sell alcohol to the below-age buyers dropped to 61 percent.
More violations were found than during last year's inspections because the investigators went out at night, considered a more popular time to buy and sell alcohol. Last year, they shopped for liquor between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
"It is critically important that businesses be aware of the harm they can cause by selling alcohol to young people," Anderson said. "Children who begin drinking before the age of 15 are 40 percent more likely to abuse alcohol later in life."
When the program was planned last year, Elaine Wilson, chief of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division, said the Department of Health was focusing on underage drinking because "we really don't have kids in treatment for drugs who haven't started with alcohol."
Anderson said teen drinking contributes to crime, automobile accidents, injuries and deaths and is connected to teen-age pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and other health problems.
"We have learned that the community and our youth are safer and healthier when they don't start using alcohol until after age 21."
Karen Glanz, professor at the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, was responsible for training four 18- to 20-year-olds in the sting operation. When they showed their valid identification card to buy liquor, retailers would still sell it, Glanz said.
"Asking for ID is not the same as checking it."
