But SHE"S the one buying them.

[Ljt09863]

my store does this. ive had some people get furious over it.

the deal is, alot of underage people do come in with the overage people, and point out what they want, and then the overage person buys it.

i was told from my boss that it is state law in Wisconsin. if so, then im assuming that the law was put into place, because they are trying to crack down on underage smoking, and they think that is the overage friends are buying the cigs, then the underage are smoking it too.

either way, if you agree or not, it is the store policy. it isn't the employees fault, so i don't think the customers should take it out on them. go to management, and discuss it with them if you need to.

[blas]

Let me reiterate again that my own personal beliefs could not be overridden by policy and the law.

Honestly, I don't care if someone wants to buy beer or smokes for their teens or their underage friends. I have had older friends buy me alcohol, as with cigarettes when I was under 18. But I never went with them or I stayed in the car.

The clerk is always in a bad position. They HAVE to uphold the law. That's why it doesn't matter what you think is right or wrong, they must card everyone involved. They must deny sales to those who cannot furnish ID. Preventing selling to minors is the clerks' reponsibility, as it is to prevent someone else from doing it. Now, if I sold beer to a single guy who took it home and gave it to his girlfriend, it would no longer be my problem or my fault.

[ArcticChicken]

Just a question that I have been curious about. I am a smoker. I am 40. So if I come in with my 17 year-old son I wouldn't be able to buy cigarettes because he is not old enough?

In my experience, most stores will allow the sale if the underage person is with a parent.

The first store I worked in we had to ID everyone in the party, but at least part of the reason was that there were two colleges in town, and at least half the time they were really buying for an underage friend. Of course, there was another grocery store just down the street w/o that policy, so most of them wound up there.

[blas]

Another reason I wouldn't sell to parents or parties with underagers:

When I was 14-16, I was not very stealth about smoking at school. I was caught many times by the same cop. Now, it may be different depending on where you live, but every time, I was offered "If you tell me who got them for you, I will make your ticket disappear." Now, I always just sucked it up and paid the fines myself, but the idea behind this is to give a fine to the adult who purchased, therefore trying to cut down on buying for underagers.

[rerant]

First off: worst policy ever. And secondly, I'm only 22 and I only hate getting carded for the following reasons:
1) My ID picture is HORRIBLE! It's downright embarassing, far beyond the reaches of "normal" bad ID pic embarassing.
2) The following conversation almost always ensues, "1985? Wow, I would have thought you were at MOST 17."
I know I should probably take that as a compliment and hope it remains that way when I'm 40, but I can't help but feel a little bad about looking like a child sometimes.

[Broomjockey]

I'm going to chime in and say I think it's a *good* policy, whether it be law or not. And this is despite the fact I got tossed once because I didn't have my ID yet for some alcohol, but my roommate (who was 25, but looked 17) did.

I understood it wasn't the clerk's fault, or anything like that. But alcohol and cigarettes are both age restricted items. That means that if one person is buying something in a carry-around type package, such as a case of beer, or a pack of smokes, it is pathetically easy to share with everyone in the group, or just to pass it over to them, which is the reasoning behind the law.

Now, if someone tried to pull that in a resturant, when it's easy to keep track of who's drinking what, that's a different story.

[Tria]

I undersand the reasoning, but as a teetotling, non smoker it would annoy me if I was with my friend who's buying cigarettes or booze while I'm getting chocolate and get carded. I usually don't carry my wallet, which has my ID, with me.

And before anyone yells "why are you driving".... I don't drive. I don't even have a license, just a state ID. Now, all my friends are legal to buy the stuff, as am I. While I don't use the stuff, I have picked up stuff for them. If I make that trip, I would have my ID, but if I'm coming to the counter with a big dark chocolate bar.... Mmm.... Dark chocolate.... It's annoying to end up carded. Understandable, but annoying.

I also understand it's not the clerk's fault. I did see the movie, both of them actually, and I understand that you and the store are just covering your asses.

[bainsidhe]

I understand that you and the store are just covering your asses.

That's it exactly. Drives me batty when someone comes in with their kid and discusses which type of cigs are the best. When I ask for BOTH IDs, Mommy gets huffy and kid laughs because she's only 15 and of course she doesn't have ID. Then don't make it seem like a 3rd party sale. At my store, if I have any reason to think someone else is involved in the purchase, I need to see their ID also. As BroomJockey said, it is to protect the store. I myself would also like to avoid getting fired and/or fined.

On another note, my store doesn't have the policy to always card everyone in the party (unless we suspect it's a 3rd party sale), but my store requires some form of ID for ALL tobacco and alcohol purchases. We lost our license for a full year a couple years ago and that is big money business. So our store takes it seriously to card card card and cover our asses.

[Misanthropical]

My oldest son is 14, but he is a lot bigger and taller than me and he does go with me sometimes when I'm buying smokes or wine.

I have never had anyone ask for his ID when I'm buying those things. Maybe it's because he is calling me "mom" or telling me how bad smoking is for me?

[Pagan]

2) The following conversation almost always ensues, "1985? Wow, I would have thought you were at MOST 17."
I know I should probably take that as a compliment and hope it remains that way when I'm 40, but I can't help but feel a little bad about looking like a child sometimes.

No, you won't appreciate it then, either. I'm almost that age and it irks me to no end to still get carded, especially when they don't card the obviously college-age guy in front of me. Although, it's happened less since I got glasses again.

We don't have the "card everyone in the party" thing in our liquor laws or with cigarettes in New Mexico that I know of. Which is amazing because the state legislature just finally changed the laws so that under 21 can at least do package sales. Although some stores still won't let under 21 do it. I've never gotten that one, under 21 working in a store couldn't even handle and unopened bottle of wine or whatever, not the checker and not the bag-person. Of course, our stat is a little squirrelly to begin with....

[Greenday]

If a parent was with a kid and was buying cigarettes, I'd always let it go because my opinion is that if the parents don't care about their kids doing that to themselves, why should I? But if two teenagers come in together, and one of them is getting cigarettes, I ID both of them without remorse. It's the most common way of getting stuff when you are underage. Just ask an older friend. I do it. My friends do it.

Alcohol is a lot bigger of an issue in my mind. If there is someone in their teenage years with an adult, I'd ID both of them. Once you hit that age to party, I'll ID them no matter who they are with.

[Peppergirl]

It just goes to show you, SC's are the same everywhere - regardless of the venue of the service provided.

They ALWAYS want to take it out on the messenger if they don't like the rule or don't like the answer they're getting.

Seriously. Flipping someone off because you're doing your job? I'd love to know who her momma is, because if I ever caught my (late teen) kid doing that, I'd kick his ass.

[PepperElf]

I remember way back when I worked in retail - a couple of crappy discount stores, both out of business now I think.

As far as I know that's not just store policy...that's the law.

In fact... yeah I remember now... back about 11 or 12 years ago one of my friends saw a kid trying to light some tiny firecracker toy. My friend went to light it for him and the lighter didn't work. Then he got spoken to by a cop who said, "You're lucky it didn't light...I'd have arrested you if it had." cos it was illegal to give that kind of thing (smokes, lighters, etc) to minors.

Heck, I once got carded just for buying a lighter at the corner Rite Aid.. I was surprised ("Huh?") but when she explained, I just showed her my ID, while laughing at the irony... I didn't smoke & bought the lighter for my candles. heh.

slight off topic: Hi PepperGirl. Heh, didn't see your name before I made mine. Will request mine get changed if you want since you were here first. /wave

[Peppergirl]

slight off topic: Hi PepperGirl. Heh, didn't see your name before I made mine. Will request mine get changed if you want since you were here first. /wave

No worries, the more Pepper the merrier.

[aniwahya]

Bah I think that this is a stupid policy, and sheer suprise at being carded because my mom wants her cigs would prolly cause me to have a brief "WTF?" moment. While I would have a smart ass remark or two, I'd most likely leave it at that.

Good grief tho! >< What's next? Making people register for cigs and a three day wait?