Nonprofit Discovers 3 out of 10 Santa Monica Liquor Stores Don't Card

A Westside group looking to raise awareness about carding minors who want to purchase alcohol found three local businesses last week which didn't.

The Westside Impact Project announced today it went into 10 liquor stores last week in Santa Monica, sending in a very young-looking but over 21-year-old who attempted to buy six packs of beer.

At three locations, the decoy wasn't carded at all, the organization said in a press release. 

The effort was dubbed a “Recognition and Reminder” operation. If the sales clerk asked for identification, the decoy presented a card, congratulating the establishment for properly checking for ID.

If the sales clerk failed to ask for identification, the decoy presented a card reminding the vendor that checking ID prevents sales to minors, according ot te press release. 

“It was fascinating to get a real picture of how serious Santa Monica alcohol outlets are about keeping alcohol away from minors,” Sarah Blanch, manager of the Westside Impact Project, said in a statement.

“It was great that seven outlets were responsible and asked for ID. But the fact that three outlets didn’t card – which is about 33 percent – is unacceptable. We’re so glad to get the message out there that the community cares about the way these businesses are operating.”

The team conducting the operations also notified the retailers that Santa Monica Police Department will be conducting minor decoy operations throughout the next year,with much more serious consequences.

In minor decoy operations, under law enforcement direction, a "decoy" younger than 20 years of age attempts to purchase alcohol at licensed establishments, according to the Westside Impact Project. A first-time sale may result in a fine or license suspension. A second sale to a minor within a three year period is an 
automatic license suspension. A third sale to a minor within a three-year period may result in license revocation.