Liquor merchants awarded for discouraging underage drinking

The Santa Cruz County Friday Night Live Partnership and Project CURB (Communities United to Reduce Bingeing) announced Monday the winners of the Responsible Alcohol Merchant Awards.
Businesses are picked based on the quality of their carding and training procedures and their dedication to the prevention of underage drinking. RAMA is part of a collaborative effort in Santa Cruz to discourage underage drinking, which accounts for more than $3.3 billion in California sales each year, a whopping 17.5 percent of alcohol revenue according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The program, in its twelfth year, presented Exemplary Awards to 27 alcohol merchants in Santa Cruz County. Locally, Johnnie’s Market and New Leaf Community Market in Boulder Creek each received the high recognition.
RAMA also recognized 31 businesses with Honorable Awards. Local businesses who received this award included Leo’s Liquors in Scotts Valley, Mt. Hermon Shell in Scotts Valley, New Leaf Community Market in Felton, Redwood Keg in Boulder Creek, Rite Aid in Felton, and Safeway in Felton. First-year awardees received a certificate, and multi-year awardees received a plaque.