Every store selling alcohol on Kaua’i was given at least one sign to display indicating the establishment won’t sell liquor to minors. Still, when a volunteer group of off-island young people paid courtesy calls on shops selling liquor from Waimea
Every store selling alcohol on Kaua’i was given at least one sign to display indicating the establishment won’t sell liquor to minors.
Still, when a volunteer group of off-island young people paid courtesy calls on shops selling liquor from Waimea to Kapa’a, 13 of the 23 stores visited did not have the signs displayed.
Of those that did not have the voluntary “No Alcohol Sold to Minors” decals displayed, some said they would place the decals where people could see them, but a state Department of Health spokeswoman doubts all did.
Of the 13 not displaying the decal, several store managers indicated they would display the signs, though Rike Weiss of the state Department of Health doubts all will follow through with those promises.
The suggested places to display the signs are on entry doors to shops, or on the coolers holding chilled beer and wine, said Weiss, with the DOH Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition.
But when the young people reported to her that they were hearing excuses like “The coolers don’t belong to us so we can’t put decals on them,” she is fairly certain that additional decals left at some stores never got placed where they might make a difference.
Presence of the signs is believed to discourage minors from trying to buy alcohol at stores displaying them, she continued.
Members of the Teens for Safer Communities Coalition (TSCC) visited 23 shops from Waimea to Kapa’a on a Saturday last month, and managed to hand out just 10 congratulatory certificates for displaying flying the decal, she said.
Still, the courtesy calls were good experiences for the high school and college students who visited Kaua’i, as they got comfortable approaching and talking with store managers.
While not discussing the penalties to both clerks and stores caught selling alcohol to minors, the youngsters instead congratulated owners and managers whose shops had the decals prominently displayed, and left behind the black-and-yellow signs for stores not displaying them, with instructions on the best places to put them, Weiss said.
National and Hawai’i statistics show that beer is the drug of choice among teens, and the TSCC takes seriously the dangers of underage drinking, a major risk factor in traffic- and violence-related injuries, Weiss continued.
Students also continue working to help educate retailers about the negative impact point-of-purchase alcohol displays have on youth consumption of alcohol.
Their efforts have led to elimination of certain Halloween and other holiday displays and other promotions announcing sales of alcoholic beverages.
The students also serve as role models to other youth, advocating for and practicing an alcohol-free lifestyle. Mostly on O’ahu, TSCC has around 30 members, in all grades of high school and college, Weiss noted.
The students have also been instrumental in developing the on-going “It’s In Your Hands” campaign to assist retailers in preventing alcohol sales to minors.
The first accomplishment of this campaign was the design and distribution of the “No Alcohol Sold to Minors” decal.
They also developed and distributed table tents for restaurants and shops, encouraging responsible drinking for those adults who choose to drink.
With cooperation from the state Department of Education, financial and technical support from the state DOH Injury Prevention and Control Program, Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition, SAFEKIDS Hawai’i, and a financial contribution from the Honolulu Liquor Commission, decals were distributed to every licensed alcohol retailer on O’ahu.
Liquor administrators in Neighbor Island counties assisted in distribution on their respective islands, so every holder of a retail liquor license in the state received at least one decal.
On Kaua’i, Eric Honma, administrator of the county Liquor Control Commission, has been very cooperative and helpful, Weiss said.
“We are impressed with the initiative these youngsters have taken, and are very happy to support their efforts to curb underage access to alcohol,” said Mayor Maryanne Kusaka.
The TSCC is actively recruiting members from the high school and college ranks. There are currently no members on Kaua’i, Weiss said.
Interested parents, teachers, young people or others who would like to form a Kaua’i TSCC group should call Jan Meeker at the state Department of Education, 1-808-394-1351.
For additional information, please contact Weiss, toll-free, at 274-3141, then 6-4660# after the recorded message.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
