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| 1 November 2000 - The East County Californian Campaign seeks to curb alcohol sales to teens SANTEE – In an effort to reduce youth access to alcohol and the problems associated with underage drinking, over 30 East County students canvassed local liquor stores in Santee and El Cajon, urging owners to display posters warning adults that it is against the law to furnish alcohol to a minor. "I don't want anymore of my friends to die because of drinking," said Matt Ellis, a junior at West Hills High School and a member of the East County Youth Alliance, a teen coalition established by Communities Against Substance Abuse to involve youth in substance abuse prevention. "I've seen enough tragedies. Parents are not doing us a favor by giving us alcohol," added Ellis, explaining that teens get alcohol from older friends, strangers and even their parents. A recent survey of 11th graders in the Grossmont Union School District revealed that 44 percent or 2,500 students had consumed alcohol within the past 30 days. "These are 15 and 16 year olds," said Mike Newell, from Communities Against Substance Abuse. "The scene may be a party in the Back Country, the beach or a backyard patio. But regardless of the location, a criminal act is committed when an adult provides alcohol to someone under the age of 2 1. We as a community are serving notice to adults who provide alcohol to stop." Ellis and Newell were joined by students, law enforcement, business leaders and community representatives from the Santee and El Cajon substance abuse prevention teams for the launching of "Operation Stop 'N Bust," an initiative to get adults to stop furnishing alcohol to minors and arrest and prosecute those who do. "We're going after the people who provide alcohol to minors," said Steve Ernst, from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. "Those persons who provide alcohol will be arrested and prosecuted." "We will prosecute," echoed Michael Carlton, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney from El Cajon, warning adults that furnishing alcohol to a minor is a crime, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. The Santee Sheriff's Office also announced that it will be conducting shoulder tap operations in the area. During a shoulder tap operation, an underage decoy approaches adults and asks them to buy alcohol for him. Immediately after kick-off of the operation, groups of students, accompanied by an adult, visited 28 liquor outlets in Santee and 19 in El Cajon. Most of them agreed to display the posters, in English and Spanish. Some stores are even requesting additional posters to display them in their parking lot areas. Article Snapshot (53K) |
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