IMPORTANT NEWS...
Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Announces Ft. Myers Retailer Compliance Rate for July
August 6, 2010
FT. MYERS—Today, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco announced that for the month of July, 86 percent of retailers tested in the Ft. Myers area did not sell alcohol to underage youth. Throughout July, ABT agents conducted 113 alcohol compliance checks with an overall compliance rate of 86 percent. The Ft. Myers area includes: Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry and Collier counties.
Retailer compliance checks are conducted using investigative aides under 21 years old who attempt to purchase alcohol at randomly selected licensed establishments. Retailers that sell alcohol to the investigative aides are issued notices to appear in court and educated on checking identification.
Establishments that sell alcohol to individuals under the age of 21 three times within a 12-week period face up to a $1,000 fine and a seven-day license suspension. Individuals who sell or give alcohol to underage youth face a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. A new law stiffens criminal penalties for anyone caught two or more times giving alcohol to underage drinkers. Anyone who facilitates underage drinking will be subject to a first-degree misdemeanor on the second offense.
The mission of ABT is to keep alcohol and tobacco out of the hands of underage persons, 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 of Business and Professional Regulation’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 MyFloridaLicense.com.