Anyone ever sold tobacco or liqour in the states. What was it like? Rules?...
So to lay the background for why I'm asking this question the post about the pharmacist copying the person's ID when filling a script reminded me of my days working as an assistant manager at 7-11. This was about 5 years ago now. In Canada you can't sell alcohol in convenience stores so for us it was all just tobacco products, but the same problems would arise at a liqour store. The government here has very strict regulations on the sale of tobacco and liquor products when it comes to age. Legally you have to be 19 in most provinces here to smoke and drink. However most places have a 30 or younger rule which means if you look 30 or younger you are getting ID'd. Some places card just about everyone. The government sends around shoppers to test stores on a regular basis. These are usually people around 16 years of age but usually look somewhat ambiguous age wise. The kicker is that if an employee fails one of these government shops they are liable to be PERSONALLY fined up to $500. I had two employees fined and fired when I was working at 7-11. One earlier on when I was an assistant manager and later one when I was the acting manager, both were far to lax at checking ID. For a clerk working a 7-11 type retail job a $500 fine is a LOT of money! Also if the store itself failed 3 such shops they would have their tobacco license revoked. Despite this and despite the fact that we had well placed signage warning people of the 30 and under rule, one of the chief things we had to deal with and a daily basis were ass holes getting angry at us for carding them. You wouldn't believe how mad some people got when I ID'd them. Worst still they would try to get a friend to buy stuff for them and of course I would have to refuse them any and all tobacco sales then too. Or sometimes the guy next in line would OFFER to help, which was extra annoying. And now I had to refuse both of them ANY age restricted tobacco products cause I have no idea who's buying for who now. More than once things almost escalated into having to call the police, though in my 4 years on the job no actual violence of any type actually occurred.
Does anyone here have stories of selling tobacco or alcohol in the US? Do you guys have similar rules and regulations? Did you have to deal with similar grief on a daily basis?
= new reply since forum marked as read
I can only write about Texas on this item since I haven't traveled outside the state in awhile. However, I'm carded at the Dollar General in my neighborhood. I look like I'm between 35 to 40 although my actual age is 48. At stores like Walgreen's and Dollar General the clerk must actually enter the birth date of the purchaser into the cash register. I did manage to purchase some alcohol tonight at a gas station and wasn't asked for my ID.
Texas Alcohol & Beverage Commission frequently sends in customers to test bars, restaurants and stores. If an employee unwittingly sales alcohol to a minor then both the employee and the business will receive citations. Depending on the employer, the employee might be fired from the business. Here is a link to the TABC Website that provides more information for sales to minors, intoxicated persons and other infractions.
http://www.tabc.state.tx.us/laws/standard_penalty_chart.asp
I know that the penalties vary from state to state, but at least this should give you a start.
BTW, how are you doing on the pain level from 1 to 10 with the issue you recently mentioned? 
I knew that many US states were fairly strict about sales of age restricted products but have read few stories so it's interesting to hear some of them. Thanks.
As for the pain thanks for enquiring. Pain is basically 0 now that it has been lanced and drained. Before the lancing it was like a 6 on my own scale. Getting it lanced was not fun. The anaesthetic injection was an 8+ and so was the manipulation of the area after. Glad that's over with 
Now I just await hearing from the surgeon on the more permanent fix.
I'm 66 and Target cards me--the only one that does--their booze is waaaay overpriced too
weird to see an old grizzly trucker guy in his 60s get carded
me? I am of an age where I fool myself and feel flattered 
