ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, June 1, 1996 TAG: 9606030053
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
CONGRATULATIONS to Roanoke police for organizing a successful undercover crackdown on illegal alcohol sales.
A sweet 16 convenience store clerks were convicted this week of selling alcohol to minors - agents, in fact, sent into the stores in the sting operation.
The underage/undercover customers were recruited, appropriately enough, from a criminal justice class at Virginia Western Community College. They learned a bit, perhaps.
The fined store clerks learned a lot. Said one: "From now on, unless they have a cane in one hand or one foot in the grave, I'm carding them."
Most clerks do card conscientiously. We hope those who don't will have learned a lesson from this news. If they haven't, we hope they'll be educated soon. Toward that end, more undercover agents ought to be dispatched regularly. And not just to enforce the law on alcohol sales.
Tobacco kills more people than booze does, and the habit is increasing among kids. How about some sting operations against cigarette sales to minors?
LENGTH: Short : 30 linesby CNB