Observant readers may have seen the Alcohol Enforcement Team sign along the highway, carrying the same message.
The main word when it comes to these alcohol-related behaviors, says Melody Reid of the Alcohol Enforcement Team (AET) is: don’t.
The laws regarding underage drinking and providing alcohol for people who are underage, have gotten more teeth into them.
Reid is the coordinator of a team that serves Chester, Lancaster and Fairfield counties and is a part of the SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS).
“The mission of the AET is to let people know of the harmful consequences, and the access that youth have when it comes to alcohol. We’re going out into the community and trying to change policy; we’re going to the key stakeholders, local government, that can change these policies (on underage drinking) and we’re going out into the community,” she said.
The AET will work closely with local law enforcement to remove access to alcohol for potential underage consumers.
Underage drinking is a huge problem in South Carolina. Over $837M is spent in combatting the problem in the state per year, Reid said.
Local agencies in each of the three c counties will assist the AET with their mission. In Fairfield County, the AET will be assisted by Fairfield Behavioral Health Services.
The AET will assist local law enforcement, at both county and local levels, with alcohol compliance checks at local restaurants and convenience stores, and help set up sobriety and safety checkpoints throughout the county.
“An alcohol compliance checks takes place at a grocery store or convenience store, any outlet that sells alcohol. That includes bars and nightclubs,” Reid said.
She said the law enforcement agencies will use underage undercover informants to make sure these outlets that sell alcohol are complying with the law.
“It’s not like a sting, like we’re trying to catch anyone; we’re just trying to make sure they’re complying with the law.”
Some of the provisions of the new Prevention of Underage Drinking and Access to Alcohol Act provide increased fines for stores selling alcohol to underage persons. Also, a mandatory beer keg registration system will go into effect by January 2008.
Many of the provisions of the law went into effect as of July of 2007, such as increasing the drivers license suspensions for underage alcohol offenses, and, perhaps most effective, providing for an increased loss of state-funded scholarships or grants for an underage alcohol offense.
For their part, FBHS will be educating the youth through the schools, said FBHS director Vernon Kennedy, Sr.
“Our main message is we want to educate our youth about the consequences of underage drinking, and educate them about how devastating alcohol can be. We want to let them know they can still have fun, still have a good time, and not have to participate in underage alcohol activities,” said Reid.
For more details on the AET and their mission, contact Reid at 803-377-8111.
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