Teens go on sticker offensive to curb liquor use

The stickers are bright yellow and warn liquor buyers that it is illegal to provide alcohol to a person under 21 and for minors to use a fake ID.

That would seem like a no-brainer, but with spring break just completed and proms and graduation parties coming up, high school students throughout the area have been pressing the message in local establishments that sell liquor.

"If you buy (liquor) there's no way you can't read it," says Cole Moffat, a senior at Vernon Hills High School."

"As students, we have a bigger impact," added Michelle Sanchez, who recently joined Moffat and fellow seniors Rory Klema, Laura Borgula and Laura Emery for the Project Sticker Shock campaign, coordinated locally by Vernon Hills police detective Jim Koch, the school resource officer at VHHS.

The posse blanketed beer and liquor containers with the stickers and placed window decals and counter mats at six mini-marts and stores in Vernon Hills as part of a statewide effort, now in its second year.

"Adults remain the primary source of alcohol for minor drinking," Stephen Schnorf, acting chairman of the ILCC said in a statement. "If we can prevent these types of situations from occurring in the first place, we can reduce the health and social costs of underage drinking in our society."

Koch said the participants are "really involved" students. "I like keeping it more close-knit so I could monitor it, and it makes it more fun for the kids."

Some members of the group that hit the streets were involved in a presentation for parents involving underage drinking and drug use. There also was a program at the school for students attended by Lake County judges discussing "seven reasons to leave a party."

Koch said underage drinking is a problem in every community.

"It's a great opportunity for the kids to get out and do something for the community," he added. "No one understands the consequences until it's too late."

The state commission reports that the number of Illinois liquor retailers that passed underage checks during the past six months was nearly 87 percent, better than the 76 percent during the same period a year earlier.

Establishments in violation are subject to a fine, suspension or revocation of their licenses, and employees can face a year in jail and a maximum $2,500 fine.

The stores in Vernon Hills were given prior notice and welcomed the program, according to Koch.

"Everything big starts small," said Sanchez.