Strategy One: ENFORCING THE MINIMUM PURCHASE AGE LAW, continued

To produce maximum effects on retailer behavior, Stewart (1998) has identified the following key elements of enforcement efforts directed at retailers:

• Regularly conducted compliance checks (undercover decoy operations) with the issuance of citations for violations;
• Application of appropriate sanctions to violating merchants (including fines and license suspension or revocation);
• Merchant education that informs retailers about the law and penalties for violations and that provides tips and guidance on how to check for identification and refuse sales;
• Generation of community support for enforcement efforts (such as through media advocacy);
• Laws that allow alcohol outlets to be sued if they sell alcohol to a minor who later causes injury (including dram shop liability).