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Use of False ID Cards and Other Deceptive Methods to Purchase Alcoholic Beverages During High School

NCJ Number
175148
Journal
Journal of Addictive Diseases Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Dated: 1998 Pages: 25-33
Author(s)
R H Schwartz; J A Farrow; B Banks; A E Giesel
Date Published
1998
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study obtained information on the methods currently used by teenagers to purchase beer and wine in violation of liquor laws.
Abstract
A total of 900 teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were asked to complete a brief, confidential questionnaire. Findings show that high school students most often obtained alcoholic beverages by requesting someone of legal age to purchase it for them. College students used borrowed, altered, or counterfeit identification (ID) more often than high school students. Photo IDs purchased by mail order from a magazine advertisement were used infrequently, and when use was attempted, they were sometimes (25 percent) unsuccessful. Fifteen percent of high school students, 14 percent of college freshmen, and 24 percent of teenage drug abusers were able to purchase beer by the case with borrowed, altered, or fake IDs. Suggestions to reduce sales of alcohol-containing beverages to minors include universal "carding" of prospective purchasers, use of two-view or hologram photos on a drivers' license, requiring three different ID cards at the point of purchase, and penalties for stores that fail to make a good effort to identify underage customers. 1 table and 15 references