craigdailypress.com

We've heard it for years.

That underage alcohol consumption is a serious problem in Moffat County.

There are statistics and there are speeches to back it up.

There have been meetings and there have been movements to curb it.

But is anything really working? Is there a social climate that advocates lip service to solving the problem but does nothing to solve it?

The Editorial Board hopes that the recent compliance checks show that the city and the Craig Police Department are serious about tackling this issue.

We encourage the City Council to push forward on a stricter policy toward those individuals and businesses who violate the law and sell alcohol to minors.

These recent trends are good to see. It would have been nice to see them sooner.

But stricter city policy and enforcement are only part of the solution. When it comes to underage alcohol consumption, we are all to blame. And we are all part of the solution.

As with most problems when it comes to youths, the problem/solution starts and ends with parents. What message are you giving to your children and how are you backing it up?

It continues with the community. Does the social climate in the area encourage underage alcohol consumption or deter it?

And what blame lies at the feet of the liquor license holders? In the final analysis, they are the gatekeepers, and the compliance checks have shown us nearly one-third of the gatekeepers are failing.

When a person enters the business of selling alcohol, he or she should know the laws.

At the end of the day, the law is very simple for either the owner or employee - if the person is younger than 21, don't serve him or her.

Period.

To the employees selling or serving alcoholic beverages, do not go by looks alone. ID everyone.

To the owners, don't fall back on the well-worn mantra of "We all make mistakes," as a reason for failing a compliance check. Don't dismiss it like that. And if that is your view, understand this, we all pay for our mistakes, so don't complain when you're fined for making one.

If these businesses come up with ways to test each other, more power to them. But by no means should the Police Department or the City Council back off of doing what they're doing.

We need more compliance checks. Not less.

We need to be tougher.

We've talked the talk for a long time.

Now, all of us need to walk the talk.

At this point, it's not about what we say anymore; it's about what we do.