The consequences of underage drinking can affect everyone. We all feel the effects of aggressive behavior, property damage, injuries, violence, and deaths that can result from underage drinking.1 Underage drinking is not simply a problem for families or youth. It is a concern for communities throughout Illinois.
Often, communities consider their local alcohol environment as established and unchangeable. But communities can create, change, or strengthen their alcohol environment by developing local alcohol policies to reduce underage drinking and alcohol misuse.
Knowing where to start, how to identify alcohol issues within a community, and which alcohol policies, ordinances, and law enforcement strategies can reduce underage drinking and alcohol misuse are important steps to help a community move forward. Local people solve local problems best. Below you will find tools to assist your community in knowing where to start.
Are underage drinking parties held at homes, apartments, or hotel rooms?
Social host liability laws hold individuals who knowingly provide or allow the use of alcohol by minors or intoxicated adults liable for resulting property damage, injury, or death.
Property individual's control includes but is not limited to, residences, hotel/motel rooms, limousines, busses, boats, or apartment/rental units.
Click here to find out more about Social Host Liability Laws.
Are you worried that underage youth can purchase alcohol in your community?
Compliance checks, an environmental prevention strategy, deter and prevent retail alcohol outlets from selling alcohol to underage youth. Alcohol compliance checks are conducted by law enforcement and involve the use of undercover, underage buys to test retailers’ compliance with state laws and/or local ordinances that regulate the sale of alcohol.
Responsible beverage service (RBS) training programs give owners, managers, and staff of establishments that sell and serve alcohol the knowledge and skills to help them serve alcohol responsibly and meet the legal requirements of alcohol service. Responsible beverage service training is an alcohol policy aimed at reducing easy retail access to alcohol by underage youth.
Click here to learn about Responsible Beverage Service Training (RBS) and the State of Illinois training requirements.
Are you worried that underage youth can purchase large volumes of alcohol at retail establishments?
Keg registration is an alcohol policy implemented to reduce youth access to alcohol and the social availability of alcohol.
Keg registration laws require retailers to attach a tag, sticker, or engraving with an identification number on kegs exceeding a specified capacity. Keg registration allows for the keg to be traced back to the purchaser should any issues arise involving law enforcement or the service of alcohol to those who are underage.
Click here to find out more about Keg Registration.
Alcohol Policy Resource Center Case Study on Keg Registration
Are you worried that underage youth are being served
Compliance checks, an environmental prevention strategy, deter and prevent retail alcohol outlets from selling alcohol to underage youth. Alcohol compliance checks are conducted by law enforcement and involve the use of undercover, underage buys to test retailers’ compliance with state laws and/or local ordinances that regulate the sale of alcohol.
Click here to find out more about Alcohol Compliance Checks.
Responsible beverage service (RBS) training programs give owners, managers, and staff of establishments that sell and serve alcohol the knowledge and skills to help them serve alcohol responsibly and meet the legal requirements of alcohol service. Responsible beverage service training is an alcohol policy aimed at reducing easy retail access to alcohol by underage youth.
Click here to learn about Responsible Beverage Service Training (RBS) and the State of Illinois training requirements.
Are there too many places to purchase alcohol in your community?
Alcohol outlet density regulation is defined as applying regulatory authority to reduce or limit alcoholic beverage outlet density (the number of alcohol retailers such as bars, restaurants, and liquor stores in a given area).
Alcohol outlet density can reduce easy retail access to alcohol by underage youth.
Click here to find out more about Alcohol Outlet Density.
Are youth accessing alcohol at public events?
Alcohol restrictions at community events include policies that control the availability and use of alcohol at public venues, such as concerts, street fairs, and sporting events. Event organizers can implement restrictions voluntarily or through local ordinances and policies.
Alcohol event restrictions are implemented to address easy social access by underage youth and permissive community norms.
Click here to find out more about Alcohol Event Restrictions.
Are you worried there is too much alcohol advertising aimed
Alcohol advertising restrictions reduce the exposure of children and adolescents to alcohol advertising that promotes unrealistic messages about alcohol use. Restrictions on alcohol advertising include any policies that limit advertising of alcoholic beverages such as limits on location and placement of messages.
Alcohol advertising restriction policies are focused on addressing permissive community norms.
Click here to find out more about Alcohol Advertising Restrictions.
1 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH). Underage Drinking. February 2017. Web. September 2017.