Longview Stores Failed Our Kids Miserably During Recent Operation

As much as people in Texas push back, you have to be 21 years of age to purchase either a pack of cigarettes or any kind of alcohol. Businesses that sell either of these are required by law to have anyone that looks under the age of 40 to show I.D. to make sure they are 21 or older to buy those products. To make sure those businesses are staying compliant with the laws, local police will conduct sting operations by sending underage customers into those stores to buy those products. This happened recently in Longview with several businesses failing miserably.

Getting Carded

I remember both milestones of turning 18 and turning 21. I didn't start smoking until I was 18 so I never illegally bought cigarettes but obviously I was always carded before buying them. I never bought alcohol, either, until I was the legal age of 21. At that time, I got carded all the time for that, too. As I got older, it became less and less that I was asked to show I.D. Thing is, I don't mind getting carded now and I'm 47 years old. But I've been in stores where someone generally gets mad because the attendant asked for their I.D.

Over the course of June through August, Longview Police carried out sting operations at 57 stores in the city. 20 of those stores had underage customers go in to buy tobacco and 37 stores had underage customers go in to buy alcohol. Of those 20 stores, two of them sold tobacco products to underage customers. Of those 37 stores, 19 sold alcohol to underage customers. Because of this, those businesses did receive a citation.

My Experience With Carding Individuals

Before starting my radio career, I worked at Racetrac (now called RaceWay) in Lindale. At the time, no one in Smith County sold alcohol but we did selling cigarettes. The legal age was 18 to buy cigarettes then. I was required by law, obviously, to card people buying cigarettes but there was extra requirements from Racetrac corporate to card people. I had so many people get mad at me but I didn't sell to them if they didn't have proper I.D.

Since these sting operations are still pending, the locations of have not been released. If you do notice a business not following I.D. laws, you can report them to Longview Police.