Central Nova News

The City of Alexandria recently held the Project Sticker Shock Campaign, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the consequences of providing alcohol to minors. The event began with a press conference at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center, where city officials, youth representatives, and community leaders emphasized the importance of preventing underage access to alcohol.

During the campaign, 57 young participants visited 45 retail stores to place warning stickers on multi-packs of alcohol. These stickers were supplied by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and served to inform about the legal repercussions of supplying alcohol to individuals under 21. Stores that participated received certificates recognizing their involvement in this effort.

The campaign targets adults over 21 who might legally purchase alcohol but then provide it illegally to minors, known as second-party sales. In Virginia, supplying alcohol to someone under 21 is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Penalties for such offenses include a $2,500 fine per minor provided with alcohol, up to 12 months in jail, and potential loss of a driver's license for up to a year.

The event was organized by several local organizations including the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA), Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria Sheriff's Office, Department of Community and Human Services, Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities, and Alexandria City High School's U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program.

SAPCA consists of various community stakeholders such as parents, youth groups, schools, health agencies, media outlets, nonprofits, businesses, policymakers, and law enforcement bodies. Its mission is "to engage diverse sectors of the community in collaborative cross-cultural and comprehensive substance abuse prevention efforts that result in a reduction of underage substance use and abuse in the City of Alexandria."

For more information on SAPCA or ways to participate in its initiatives visit alexandriava.gov/SAPCA. Concerns about illegal provision or sale of alcohol to minors can be reported via the non-emergency number for the Alexandria Police Department at 703.746.4444 or through an online report to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.