By Justin Mack • Journal and Courier • June 1, 2010

Leonard Washington said making sure he has proper identification is the last thing on his mind when heading to the liquor store.

The 56-year-old Lafayette resident thanks his gray hair and wrinkles for keeping most of his trips for beer and wine short and sweet.

“I think it’s safe to say I didn’t just turn 21, and they’re pretty sure I ain’t gonna pull out a fake ID,” Washington said. “I’m an old man, so they tend to leave me alone. As long as I have enough cash on me, I’m in and out.”

However, Washington and other residents who have become accustomed to picking up alcohol without first showing their ID will soon be forced to break the habit thanks to a recently passed mandatory carding law.

Starting July 1, any licensed server selling alcohol for off-premise consumption will be required to card all Hoosiers — regardless of how old they look. That means all retailers from supermarkets to package liquor stores will be turning away customers without identification.

Anyone who fails to check for ID during a transaction can be cited with a criminal misdemeanor.

Restaurants, bars and other businesses where patrons consume alcohol on-site are not affected by the change.

In anticipation of the new rules, many Lafayette-area retailers have already rolled out new mandatory carding policies.

“We appreciate their commitment to ensure that every person that purchases alcohol does so legally,” said Karah Rawlings, director of the Drug-Free Coalition of Tippecanoe County. “It may be a bit of an adjustment. This minor inconvenience of showing identification will help ensure we keep alcohol out of the hands of minors.

“I fully expect our community to support this initiative.”

Among the supporters are the members of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association. In January, the group voluntarily implemented a mandatory carding policy in all affiliated shops.

Speedway, Super K, Super Test and Village Pantry are just a few of the stores throughout the state that have been carding all of their customers for months.

According to Katy Travis, program director for the Drug-Free Coalition, Walgreens and Target also have similar rules already in place.

She said that Ron Culp, owner of Elmwood Liquors in Lafayette, has been treating May as a consumer education period.

Travis said all Elmwood Liquors employees have been speaking to customers about the upcoming changes before they start carding everyone on June 1.

“We just hope that people go into the change with a positive attitude,” she said. “When the cashier asks them for ID, we want them to hand it over with a smile and understand it’s not the cashier’s fault.”

For some residents, remembering to keep an ID handy when buying alcohol has been easy.

“I’m used to it now. I usually stop in and grab stuff here,” said Tom Ebert, 32, of Lafayette after buying a beer from the Village Pantry on South Fourth Street. “Makes me feel like a kid again, so I have no problem with them checking. I know they have to do their jobs.”

For others, the new rule is enough to keep them out of the liquor store.

“I just don’t see the point,” said Washington. “Some of the employees recognize me after coming in so much. Now these people who know me are going to card me, and for what?

“Carding me isn’t keeping beer away from underage drinkers.”

Jerry Mull, assistant manager at Eastway Liquors in Lafayette, said he expects some customers to resist at first.

“What’s going to happen is in the beginning people will see it as a bit of a nuisance, but then it will become second nature,” he said. “We already card a lot of people in their 40s and 50s, so we absolutely support the new law.”

Mull said the shop takes carding seriously and recognizes clerks that always ask for ID.

“We’ve had the Drug Free Coalition come in here several times, and we’ve never failed their tests,” he said. “We commend our people for doing it. We even have plaques up for people who card customers.”

While stores are already gearing up for the carding rules, some residents said the changes will likely go unnoticed.

West Lafayette residents Dan Bowen, 32, and Chloe Rutkowski, 28, said they were unaware mandatory carding wasn’t already a law.

The couple said they usually purchase alcohol from stores such as Walmart and Target.

“I can’t remember ever not having my ID checked,” Bowen said, as he browsed the liquor aisle of the Walmart in West Lafayette. “I always keep it in my hand along with my debit card. It takes two seconds to show it and move on.”

Travis said that while the new rule is a big win for the coalition, the group continues to fight for additional changes.

“We really want to see the carding law applied to on-site locations like restaurants. We also still want to see a tax increase on alcohol,” she said. “We have done a lot of work with legislators here in Tippecanoe (County) and at the state level. It’s been a long time coming, but were excited to see changes.”

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