'ID Please': New Tennessee Law Requires ID for Every Alcohol Purchase

When you are in your thirty's, it is always a compliment if you are carded when buying beer. Many clerks do not even bother asking for ID if you look old enough, especially if it is oblivious. That is going to change in the state of Tennessee. Now you will HAVE to show ID to buy beer in the state no matter how old you are, even if you have gray hair and use a walker. This new law does not apply when in a bar or restaurant, nor does it effect wine and liquor sales.

The main reason for this new law in to cut down on underage drinking. This law takes the decision of "to card or not to card" out of the clerks hands. Supporters of this new law say that if we want to hold clerks accountable for who they sell booze to, than the rules should be clear with no room discretion. In some states the clerk/bartender can be sued and/or lose his servers license if they sell alcohol to some one that later goes and gets in a car wreck, especially if they kill someone.

Some stores in Tennessee have a computerized scanner that checks everyone's ID, which for most people is their driver's license. Customers feel that is too much. At that point, they know more about you than your age, and in these days of ID theft, is that safe. Most of the computerized scanning systems print your name, license number and address on your receipt. That is a lot of information about you just to buy beer. The stores are only putting in these scanning computers to look good, making it seem like they are doing all they can. Nevertheless, they are not doing it for the kids it is for selfish reasons.

I can see why having to scan your ID could be a good idea, because many of times when I have bought cigarettes or beer the clerk enters their birthday instead of mine off my ID. Sometimes it seems like they do not even look at the birthday, and I look under 21. I still have my old ID that says "under 21 until" right next to my picture, the "until" has passed but you have to read it to find the

This law will expire in one year; lawmakers consider this a test run. The state Legislature must decide to renew it after the expiration. There is talk of a voluntary training program that vendors and their employees can participate in; their participation would lower that businesses fine if they get caught selling beer to minors. It also will keep the business's beer permit safe from being revoked for the first offense. To me that undermine the rules, why should one place get special treatment because they wasted employee's time sending them to the program.

I bet in no time at all this law will be nation wide, it is easily passed because if you do not support it you look bad. No matter how ridicules it may be.