Task Force, Police Begin New Program
Originally printed in The Westerly Sun
Monday, November 23, 2009
WESTERLY- Attention adults: Think twice before purchasing alcohol for kids.The Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force, as part of its ongoing mission to raise awareness about the risks and dangers of underage drinking, has incorporated its Project Sticker Shock campaign into its existing media and prevention awareness movement.
Project Sticker Shock was created to educate adults who might be tempted to purchase alcohol legally and then provide it to minors.
"The holidays are upon us. It's a great time of the year. But it's also a frightening time since statistics show that the holidays provide a perfect excuse for minors to drink and sadly, in lots of cases, it's adults that provide kids with the alcohol. We want that practice to stop," said WSATF coordinator Mary Lou Serra.
Joining forces with the Westerly Police Department and all four Westerly liquor store owners, Project Sticker Shock begins today, at 4 p.m. when members of the Youth Task Force and other student volunteers and adult volunteers, accompanied by a Westerly Police officer, will go store to store, affixing the red stop sign-shaped warning stickers on every case and/or multi-pack of beer, wine coolers, and "alco-pop" (flavored so-called 'soft' intoxicating beverages that often appeal to minors).
The striking and eye-opening red stickers were designed to remind people that providing alcohol to minors is a serious crime in Rhode Island which can result in mandatory jail time for multiple offenses. The project, which has the multi- prong goal of educating adults who might provide alcohol to underage youth, raising public awareness about underage drinking through the media, and spotlighting the state law against providing alcohol to minors, represents a successful collaboration between the WSATF, law enforcement and liquor retailers - Westerly-based E-Z Midway Liquors, Warehouse- Beer-Wine-Liquors, Ocean State Liquors and Dick's World of Wine.
"This has been and continues to be a commitment by this department and I know that the store owners have the same sense of responsibility," Westerly Police Chief Edward A. Mello said.
Serra agreed and added she hopes the stickers act as a deterrent. "We're hoping those adults that might buy alcohol for kids will really 'think again' when the see the stickers and are reminded of the state law. Bottom line, is it worth it? The law is clear and for some people that provide alcohol to kids will consider that, if nothing else, like keeping kids alive," Serra said.
Mello, who immediately embraced the WSATF Project Sticker Shock idea and reached out to all the package store owners, described the project alliance:
"This is an important collaboration between the Westerly Police Department, the Substance Abuse Task Force and more importantly the liquor store owners. All of us have the same goal in mind this week and that is to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors," Mello said.
The stickers read: "Think buying alcohol for someone under 21 is no big deal? Think again." And goes on to list the penalties under Rhode Island State Law for providing alcohol to minors starting with $1,000 fine for a first offense and culminating in jail time and mush stiffer fines for subsequent violations.
Youth volunteers will provide much of the manpower to ensure that nearly every case of alcohol sold in Westerly over the holiday weekend has a red Project Sticker Shock label affixed to it.