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ABOUT OUR PROGRAM

Underage drinking continues to be a problem, with youth primarily obtaining alcohol from adults and friends, and commercial outlets such as convenience and grocery stores. The latest research shows that alcohol affects a teen brain differently than a mature adult brain, yet few parents or youth realize that alcohol can damage and interfere with critical brain development during the teenage years—development that is important to becoming mature, thoughtful, and responsible adults.

The American Medical Association advises that “damage from alcohol at this time can be long term and irreversible.” Research also shows that 40% of those who start drinking before the age of 15 will become alcohol dependent. Many adults are surprised to learn that the average age a person takes their first drink in Utah is 12.3 years old, with many starting younger. Binge drinking (4-5 drinks within a single sitting) starts in middle school and increases through the high school years, increasing the risk of addiction.

The Eliminating Alcohol Sales to Youth (EASY) compliance check program experienced both successes and challenges during its third year.

The number of compliance checks conducted by law enforcement agencies throughout the state increased by 28%, from 1531 conducted in FY2008 to 1970 conducted in FY2009. The compliance rate for FY2009 increased by 3 percentage points from 84.1% in FY2008 to 87.4% for FY2009. One area which conducted its first alcohol compliance checks in FY2009 saw the compliance rate steadily increase from an initial 55% to nearly 96% as it conducted quarterly checks, and, nearly a year after its first operation, only one out of 25 stores checked sold to the underage buyer, demonstrating the success that consistency and a stable funding source can engender.

Many law enforcement agencies were able to strengthen their programs by consistently performing alcohol compliance checks in their jurisdictions. Additionally, Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grants awarded to Utah’s thirteen health districts worked to encourage more law enforcement agencies to address retail availability as a causal factor in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. And, most significantly, the results for the 2009 Student Health And Risk
Prevention survey indicate that alcohol use in both categories surveyed—”ever-used” and “30-day use” — is down for 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders.

A significant challenge developed for the EASY program during a special session of the Utah Legislature in the fall of 2008. The funding for EASY during FY2009 was reduced, and, more significantly, funding for EASY was eliminated from the FY2010 budget. Fortunately, the Legislature elected to allow the Department of Public Safety’s Highway Safety Office (HSO) to maintain the funds carried over from FY2009 into FY2010; however, whether or not this would be the case remained in question until the end of the Legislative Session in March. The uncertainty about funding served as a deterrent for new agencies to join the program.

Many law enforcement agencies faced their own budgetary issues, and even though EASY provides reimbursement for conducting alcohol compliance checks, resource challenges prevented some of them from maintaining the program after starting it.

As the EASY program begins its fourth year, the HSO will continue to administer the compliance check reimbursement program as long as funding remains available. New agencies will be encouraged to participate, both by the HSO and Strategic Prevention Framework coalitions, with the hope that in spite of the challenging economic times, the long term benefits of providing a stable funding source for alcohol compliance checks will be realized, and funding will be allocated for FY2010 and beyond.

FACTS FOR 2009

COMPLIANCE CHECK RESULTS

• Law enforcement agencies conducted 1,970 compliance checks in FY2009. This represents almost a 30% increase over the number of compliance checks law enforcement agencies conducted in FY2008 and FY2007, which were 1531 and 1523 respectively.
• The statewide compliance (pass) rate was 87.4%, compared to the rate of 84.1% in FY2008 and the rate of 88.3% in FY2007.
• Thirty-one law enforcement agencies actively participated in EASY in FY2009.

COMPLIANCE CHECK REIMBURSEMENT

• The 31 agencies that participated in EASY during FY2009 received reimbursement for conducting compliance checks totaling in excess of $79,000.
• The reimbursable costs included officer wages, underage buyer wages, mileage, and administrative costs.

EASY RETAIL CLERK TRAINING

• In FY2009, more than 10,000 retail clerks completed the off-premise retailer training.
• The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) approved 92 providers to conduct the training.
• DSAMH recertified almost 100 retailer training providers, since the provider certification lasts for up to three years, and the EASY program completed its third year of existence in FY2009.

2009 STUDENT HEALTH AND RISK PREVENTION SURVEY RESULTS

• The 2009 Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey indicated a decrease in alcohol use in the two categories queried — “ever-used” and “30-day use” — for all grades queried.
• A question added to the SHARP survey in 2009 about the source of alcohol for students who disclosed they have consumed alcohol indicated that more than 10% of 12th graders “bought it myself from a store.”

LAW ENFORCEMENT ENDORSEMENT

“We did E.A.S.Y. over the weekend and our town businesses are really coming around. We tested 28 points of sale, of which only one sold to us. I am pretty darn happy with our retailers!

“We have had several of our retailers purchase the driver license scanning equipment and we noticed a great number of the businesses using some form of electronic equipment to verify age.

“All in all, a very successful quarter. It’s taken a year, but I believe we have made a certain impact on our retailers and they KNOW we will be back each quarter! Thanks for your support in making our community a safer place.”

--Chief Gary Jensen, Vernal City Police Department

RETAIL TRAINING

Studies have shown that the most effective way to reduce alcohol sales to minors at grocery and convenience stores is to increase the frequency of compliance checks using underage buyers in an undercover capacity. Law enforcement agencies can get reimbursed by the Highway Safety Office for the reimbursement checks they perform.

The mandatory and standardized retail training component of the EASY program is administered by the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH). Anyone who sells or supervises the sale of beer must complete a state-approved training course, and all curricula and training providers are approved by DSAMH. Private companies and trainers conduct the actual classes, which cover topics including Utah’s laws pertaining to selling alcohol to minors, how to refuse a sale, how to check for valid identification, and the harmful effects of alcohol on the developing teen brain.

DSAMH maintains a database, funded by small fees paid by all of the trainees, which contains the names and certification information for all of the clerks that have completed the off-premise retail training. This information is available online at can be linked to through the EASY program’s Web site: easy.utah.gov.

In FY2008, DSAMH developed an online payment system for use by all off-premise providers and trainers, and since October 1, 2008, use of the online payment system has been mandatory. This online payment system has benefited both the retail community and DSAMH, since it allows for “real-time” input of trained employees and online payment for these trained employees. Manual processing of payments and manual entry of all of the trainee information proved time-consuming and costly for the Division, but the online payment system has eliminated the need for both of these, and has also reduced the amount of time it takes for a trainee’s certification information to be available online.

The certification period for off-premise retail training providers is for up to three years, thus DSAMH began the recertification for training providers at the end of FY2009. The recertification will continue in earnest throughout FY2010, as the first wave of providers certified in EASY’s initial year reach their three-year recertification date.

For the most part, the retailer training requirement is becoming a routine aspect of the retailers’ hiring process, especially at the large retail chain stores. Fewer issues with the retailer training in general arose during FY2009, and this aspect of the EASY program is approaching a level of institutionalization.

During FY2009
• 10,728 clerks completed off-premise retail clerk training
• Almost 100 retail training providers were recertified, as their three-year certification period ended

SUMMARY

The Surgeon General’s 2007 “Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking” encourages communities to “enforce uniformly and consistently all policies and laws against underage alcohol use.” Even before this call to action was issued, Utah had implemented this recommendation through the EASY alcohol compliance check program.

During the program’s third year, law enforcement agencies conducted nearly 30% more compliance checks than they did in the program’s first year. Agencies along the Wasatch Front have been able to maintain the most consistency in conducting compliance checks. Smaller and rural areas law enforcement agencies have not been able to maintain as high a level of consistency, due to challenges ranging from reduced budgets to personnel turnover. The statewide compliance rate increased by three percentage points during FY2009 to 87.4%, ideally starting a trend that consistent compliance checks will keep moving forward.

The mandatory retail training is moving toward institutionalization as retailers large and small continue to comply with the EASY program’s retail training requirements.

The Strategic Prevention Framework process has already gotten more law enforcement agencies to conduct compliance checks, and will continue to do so as the coalitions strengthen community-wide prevention efforts.

The 2009 Student Health and Risk Prevention survey results show a very discernible downward trend in alcohol use among Utah’s youth. Through comprehensive efforts, Utah has made significant progress in reducing underage drinking. The EASY compliance check program is just one aspect of Utah’s campaign to reduce underage drinking, but all of the aspects work together to insure the health and safety of the state’s young people. Ideally, funding for the EASY program will be maintained beyond FY2010 so law enforcement agencies can continue to conduct alcohol compliance checks and work toward the ultimate goal of eliminating alcohol sales to youth.

The EASY Program is an innovative and focused approach which aims to use a total community mobilization to reduce underage drinking in Utah.

The Highway Safety Office administers the compliance check portion of the program. The forms listed below will assist law enforcement agencies with reporting compliance check information and requesting reimbursement.

The letter templates are available for you to use to correspond with retailers regarding their performance. The use of these is optional.

Brochures are also available for anyone (law enforcement, retail outlets, cities, counties, local prosecutors, and licensing bureaus) seeking detailed information on the EASY Program.