Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 13, 1995 TAG: 9511090087
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ADRIANNE BEE STAFF WRITE|
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Wait a second, isn't 18 the legal age to purchase cigarettes?
The teen-agers would not give their names but still had a lot to say about the ease of obtaining cigarettes around town.
"They never card," said a girl clad in a Grateful Dead T-shirt.
"We know the people that own the places," said a boy next to her with shoulder-length hair and baggy pants.
Nationwide surveys show teen-agers like these are able to buy tobacco products about 75 percent of the time though it is illegal in all states. An estimated 3 million American teen-agers smoke on a regular basis. That's one out of every six. American Red Cross and the Coalition For a Smoke-Free Virginia hope their new "It Takes Two" program will decrease these statistics.
"The concept is simple" said Kathy Baker, youth coordinator for the Montgomery County chapter of American Red Cross, at a news conference Thursday morning. Participating merchants ask for two forms of identification when they suspect an underage purchase of tobacco or alcohol. "The first ID. proves their age; the second verifies the first ID. is a legal ID." said Baker.
"It Takes Two" is expected to get on its feet in Montgomery County and surrounding areas within one to two months. Baker stressed its success will depend on the support of community merchants and the community in general.
Though the letters only went out two weeks ago, stores such as Food Lion have already shown support.
"I cannot think of anything more important" said Clayton Bishop, area operations manager for the company. In addition to adopting the program, their "Cops in Shops" program has ABC officials pose as customers in Food Lion stores to enforce the 21 and above law for alcohol purchase. When alcohol is scanned at the check-out at Food Lion stores, the system locks until a birth date is typed into cash registers.
"Vendors are our first line of defense," said Randal Duncan, Radford's commonwealth attorney. Duncan expressed surprise that teen-agers fail to realize the serious ramifications of breaking the law such as a $2,500 fine and/or one year in jail for using fraudulent birth certificates or driver's licenses..
Retailers who sell tobacco to anyone under 18 can be fined from $50 for the first offense to $250 for a third. Sell alcohol to a minor and you could be fined and lose your liquor license. A teen who buys alcohol could lose the privilege to drive for one year.
Phil Keith, Montgomery County's commonwealth's attorney, pointed out that despite these consequences, "Many of our judges feel sorry for the students and vendors. They're reluctant to convict them." Though it may be hard to enforce the law, Keith sees hope in the new program by "stopping the problem at the merchant's level."
By November, drivers will see billboards endorsing "It Takes Two" in Montgomery County, Radford and Fairlawn. Drivers should know that more than 1,000 Virginia teen-agers were arrested and charged with driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in 1993. More than 1,200 teens were injured statewide and 33 Virginia teens were killed in alcohol-related car accidents that same year.
When informed of the new program, requiring those who appear to be under the age of 18 to show two IDs in order to buy cigarettes, the young Christiansburg smokers laughed.
It's not going to make any difference, they agreed.
Emphysema, artery and heart disease and lung cancer seem too far away to concern them right now even though 90 percent of adult smokers say they picked up the habit as teens.
And what about cigarette vending machines? All said they had pulled the plastic knob under Marlboro Lights more than a few times.
At the press conference Baker stressed the importance of being an "excellent parent."
Back at the high school, one young smoker was asked how she got her cigarettes. Her reply with a smile of braces: "My mom buys them for me."
by CNB