IMPORTANT NEWS...
Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Arrests Underage Drinkers at 25th Annual KISS Country Chili Cookoff
January 25, 2010
TALLAHASSEE—Underage drinkers left the 25th Annual KISS Country Chili Cookoff with Notices to Appear in court for underage alcohol possession. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco patrolled the chili cookoff on Sunday. ABT agents arrested 48 individuals for underage alcohol possession, including seven juveniles. The penalty for possessing an alcoholic beverage under the age of 21 is up to 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.
Underage drinking prevention is one of the division’s top priorities. The division works to combat underage drinking through a three-tiered approach—education, prevention, and enforcement. The mission of ABT is to keep alcohol and tobacco out of the hands of underage people, to ensure that licensed establishments are in compliance with the laws and rules regulating the industry in Florida, and to collect taxes and fees related to these industries.
The department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The department licenses more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from real estate agents, veterinarians, and accountants to contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com.
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