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Stopping Underage Drinking
Warning stickers put on beer and liquor
Originally appeared on WPRI.com
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
WESTERLY, RI (WPRI) - One local town is trying to prevent underage drinking, by putting sticker warnings on beer cases and liquors bottles.
At this time of year, underage drinking spikes.
In Westerly there is a campaign to remind adults that you can go to jail for buying for people too young to drink.
The red tags are not price tags or markdowns. They are reminders that selling alcohol to minors is illegal.
"Underage drinking is a seriously problem, our message is to say think again" says Mary Lou Serra of the Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force.
More than 5,000 are being plastered on boxes and packages of booze in Westerly.
All four package stores in the town are participating.
The Westerly Substance Abuse Task Force is behind the message, saying it's especially important to get the message out at this time of year, when booze is free flowing at holiday parties, when adults look the other way as minors drink.
"We have to do this before a death, we are being proactive", adds Serra.
The stickers cost about $1,500.
The money comes from a grant from the U.S. Department of health and human services.