Campaign Urges Adults Not To Buy Alcohol For Minors In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A campaign running on Saturday, Oct. 19 in Alexandria will remind adults not to purchase alcohol for minors. The youth-led Sticker Shock campaign involves teams placing red warning stickers on alcohol products in stores across Alexandria.

The stickers contain warnings about penalties for providing minors with alcohol. It's considered a Class 1 misdemeanor, and a person can be fined up to $2,500 or be sentenced to up to 12 months in jail. If found guilty, a person's driver’s license will be suspended.

More than 50 retail stores will participate, including Giant Food, Safeway, 7-11, CVS, and small grocery stores and convenience stores.

In a 2019 survey of over 1,700 Alexandria City Public Schools students, 16 percent said they had alcohol in the last 30 days. The percentage among 12th graders—29 percent—was higher than their eighth and 10th grade counterparts.

The sticker campaign is sponsored by the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria; Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services; Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities; Alexandria Police Department; Alexandria Sheriff’s Office; and Virginia ABC. The Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria is made up of 80 members aimed at reducing youth substance use and abuse in Alexandria.