25 years ago: Concern over fake IDs rises as students return to town

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Aug. 19, 1986:

With the return of Kansas University students to the city, Lawrence officials and owners of local drinking establishments had begun their annual consideration of a recurring problem — minors using fake IDs to purchase drinks. The legal drinking age in Kansas in 1986 was 21 for private clubs and 20 for taverns serving 3.2 beer. Doug Hassig, co-owner of the Up and Under, a private club upstairs from Johnny’s Tavern, said that students would soon learn which bars closely checked IDs and which did not. “We’ve always checked IDs,” he said. “We want to be here for a period of time. We don’t want to lose our license just because we get greedy one semester.” Minors using altered, borrowed, or false IDs were guilty of a Class B misdemeanor with a possible penalty of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. A legitimate ID holder who allowed a minor to use his or her ID to purchase alcohol was guilty of a Class A misdemeanor which could result in up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.