Tennessee to Become First State to Require Proof of Age for All Beer Purchases

Alcohol is linked with an estimated 5,000 deaths in people under age 21 each year. To combat that, Tennessee is establishing a new act to help counter underage drinking sales.

Beginning July 1, the Tennessee Responsible Vender Act will take effect. This act requires vendors to obtain proof of age from all people who wish to purchase alcohol for off premises consumption. no matter their age.

Lawmakers and vendors plan to assess the afect of this temporary act which will expire ater one year. This legislation does not include sales of wine and liquor stores or alcohol purchased in restaurants or bars.

The president of the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, Jarron Springer, believes the law will make Tennessee a national leader on the issue of underage drinking. Some older customers, who are obviously of legal age, may feel put out by the requirement. Springer hopes they will cooperate with the clerks.

Many stores have already begun carding everyone. The Roadrunner Markets in the Tri-Cities area (Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City) implemented the policy last year.

Carding everyone makes it less likely a clerk sells to an underage customer. According to John Kelly, CoO of Roadrunner Markets, regular customers quickly got used to showing their IDs.

"The Universal carding law means that all retailers are on the same page," said Kelly. "There will be consistent training of clerks. Customers can expect to have their I.D. checked at any store in Tennessee that sells beer."

Along with the mandatory carding, the new law establishes a voluntary responsible vendor program, which is administered by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commision (ABC). A retailer qualifies as a Responsible vendor if it's clerks complete the extra training approved by the ABC, similar to that which restaurant and bar servers are required to complete in the state.

There is incentive for being a Responsible Vendor. Stores whose clerks have completed the training received reduced fines if their clerks should sell to someone underage. If two such violations happen within a twelve month period, the store will lose it's Responsible Vendor status.