IMPORTANT NEWS...
Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Arrests 11 for Underage Drinking at the Sugarland Concert
October 18, 2010
WEST PALM—On Saturday, agents with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco arrested 11 people for underage drinking before the Sugarland Concert at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm.
Underage drinking prevention is one of the division’s top priorities. The division works to combat underage drinking through a three-tiered approach, which consists of education, prevention and enforcement.
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.
DBPR’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. DBPR 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.