Northglenn – When fresh-faced Mark Vazquez, who barely looks his 17 years of age, walked into several places that sell alcohol recently, he was surprised that a few of them actually sold him booze.
That was even after he showed the clerks his driver’s license, on which it is clearly marked – in bright red letters, no less – that he is younger than 21.
“In their minds, I think all of them knew (I was underage),” Vazquez said. “I think they thought they were helping out a kid. But you’re not helping out youth by giving them alcohol.”
Vazquez and his booze-buying excursions were part of an undercover sting operation in Brighton and Northglenn this past weekend. The stings were part of a nationwide “Night of Compliance” sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Teens in 21 cities from Georgia to California participated in the event. Along with an undercover police officer, the teens tried to buy alcohol at 867 stores across the country. In 153 instances, about 18 percent of the checks, the teens were successful.
In Brighton and Northglenn, Vazquez and others did 21 checks. Four places, about 19 percent, sold the teens booze.
In Honolulu, no stores sold alcohol to minors, while in Seattle, 43 percent of those checked did.
Sgt. Steve Sanders of the Northglenn Police Department said that in his city, stores that sell alcohol to minors will receive a municipal court summons for both the clerk who sold the alcohol and the store manager. That could result in as much as $1,000 in fines or a year in jail. In addition, the store could lose its liquor license, Sanders said.
“We do these stings so we can try to control the liquor leaving the shops and restaurants at the point of sale,” Sanders said.
This month marks the 21st anniversary of the law that spurred states to make 21 the national drinking age. In conjunction with the anniversary, MADD is highlighting the dangers of underage drinking. In 2002, according to MADD, 6,000 people died from underage-drinking-related causes.
Cassie Owens, a 16-year-old who, like Vazquez, is involved with MADD’s Youth in Action program, said it’s important for stores to stop selling to minors.
“We are striving for 100 percent compliance,” she said, “because 100 percent compliance means lives saved and injuries prevented.”
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
