Sticker Shock program aimed at liquor buyers

Initiative tries to curb buying booze for minors

Many packages of beer, wine coolers and other alcoholic drinks purchased in Lawrence this weekend will come with an extra warning label.

Participating stores

Stores participating this year include Alvin’s Wines & Spirits, at both 4000 W. Sixth St. and 905 Iowa; Checkers Foods, 2300 La.; Cork and Barrel, 2000 W. 23rd St. and 901 Miss.; Glass House Liquor, 2301 Wakarusa Drive; Harper Corner Liquor, 2200 Harper St.; all six Kwik Shop stores; Mass Beverage, 3131 Nieder Road; Mom and Pop’s Liquor, 1906 Mass.; Myers Liquor North, 1805 W. Second St.; On the Rocks, 1818 Mass.; Parkway Wine and Spirits, 3514 Clinton Parkway; Sawyers, 4811 Bob Billings Parkway; and University Liquor, 3300 Bob Billings Parkway.

“Think. If you buy them booze, you can lose,” the red stickers will alert anyone 21 or older about the legal consequences of providing alcohol to minors.

“It’s a small step toward our main goal to prevent it completely,” said Tommy Kitchen, a Lawrence High senior and member of the Lawrence Youth Coalition, which will place the stickers on cases at several Lawrence-area liquor, grocery and convenience stores.

It’s the second year in a row Lawrence High and Free State High School students will participate in the Sticker Shock event. The stickers remind adults they could face fines up to $1,000 and up to one year in jail for violating social hosting laws, which includes providing a place for someone underage to drink or buying alcohol for them.

“It sends the message that breaking the law is acceptable,” Lawrence Police Chief Tarik Khatib said in a statement. “Both may lead to tragic consequences.”

Jen Jordan, a member of the Draw the Line Lawrence coalition, formerly the New Tradition Coalition, said the students and adult volunteers will place stickers on items at different stores across Lawrence on Saturday morning.

The first year was successful in Lawrence, and other communities across the state are seeking to replicate the Sticker Shock event.

“I had a lot of people who saw the stickers last year who commented on them,” said Jordan, director of prevention at DCCCA Inc. “I’d like to think that we made a difference.”

Diane Ash, Lawrence High’s Youth Coalition coordinator, said four more stores are participating this year than did in 2011.

Students contacted every business in town that serves beer or alcohol but not all wanted to participate, she said.

Jordan said according to a 2010 Communities That Care survey, 44 percent of high school seniors in Lawrence reported drinking alcohol at least once the previous month and 30 percent of those acknowledged someone older than 21 provided the alcohol.