Fact vs. Fiction
FICTION: Kids are not buying alcohol online and underage access to alcohol through the Internet is not a problem.
FACT: A recent survey of minors aged 14-20 reveals that more than half a million kids admit buying beer, wine or liquor over the Internet, and another 3.1 million minors report having a friend who has ordered alcohol online.
The survey further showed that nearly one in 10 of those ages 14-20 have visited a site that sells alcohol. One-third – nearly 8.9 million minors ages 14-20 nationwide – are open to the possibility of an online alcohol purchase before age 21. And 75% say their parents aren't able to control what they do on the Internet.
As exposure and awareness of buying alcohol online increase, even more minors can be expected to purchase wine, beer and liquor online. This is consistent with a 2004 National Academy of Sciences report which confirmed kids are buying alcohol online and that increasing use of the Internet will make this problem worse in the future.
FICTION: This is just about wine, and kids don’t drink wine.
FACT:In 2003, widely publicized wine industry lobbyist Ken Starr said, “We’re not talking about Jack Daniels. We’re talking about wine... a very ancient, special product that is grown on farms...” However, James Tanford – the chief lawyer for wine industry lawsuits to deregulate alcohol – admitted in 2006, “What’s true for wine is likely to be true for beer…the laws of beer distribution are already suspect. As we get down the road, spirits distribution will also be suspect...”
Against this backdrop, a recent survey by Teenage Research Unlimited reveals that more kids experiment with wine than with beer. Among minors ages 14-20 who have tried alcohol, 75% tried liquor, 64% have experimented with wine, 60% with beer and 55% with wine coolers.
FICTION: Nobody is reporting a problem with kids getting alcohol online.
FACT: Federal and state officials, academic institutions and the news media have weighed in on the issue.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), federal officials are considering using legislation to limit alcohol orders over the Internet. Beverage News Daily, an alcohol industry publication, reports, “the [White House] Administration is increasingly aware that the Internet offers no safeguards to ensure that... a person ordering alcohol beverages is at least 21 years old.”
Reported on U-Wire, nearly half of Kansas State University students under age 21 admitted to purchasing alcohol on the Internet or knowing someone who did. Click here to read more.
The Massachusetts Attorney General cracked down on Internet alcohol peddlers and delivery companies for selling beer, wine and liquor to minors. In 2004, the state netted four out-of-state retailers and FedEx, UPS and DHL for illegal Internet sales and deliveries of alcohol to minors.
A University of Tennessee graduate program project confirmed the problem of minors purchasing alcohol online by documenting the ease with which UT students under the age of 21 bought alcohol online. A local TV station reported their independent efforts and the Knoxville Sheriff's office is conducting a formal investigation.
Countless news outlets across the country have conducted sting operations to prove how easy it is for minors to obtain alcohol illegally through the Internet. Click here to see some of the more recent news coverage
FICTION: Overnight delivery companies check IDs when delivering alcohol.
FACT: Overnight package delivery services do not routinely check IDs delivering alcohol. State officials and the news media have documented how both marked and unmarked alcohol packages are delivered into the hands of children – with no questions asked. The Massachusetts Attorney General nabbed several online alcohol retailers for selling to minors online; he also implicated FedEx, UPS and DHL for their alleged roles in delivering alcohol (including plainly marked boxes, requiring an adult signature) to children. Delivery personnel are not law enforcement and should not be the last line of defense in ensuring alcohol is only delivered to adults of legal drinking age.
FICTION: Consumers want greater access to alcohol sales through the Internet.
FACT: A survey found that 77% oppose allowing beer, liquor and wine to be sold directly to consumers over the Internet or through the mail; 83% of respondents agree that sales over the Internet should not be allowed because it would give minors easier access to alcohol products.
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