Hardwick's Convenience Store Joins Effort to Stop Underage Drinking

This month, Hardwick’s Convenience Stores became the newest partners to join Healthy Acadia in Project Sticker Shock.

Project Sticker Shock is a community and statewide effort to raise public awareness about the risks of underage drinking and to strengthen the deterrent effect of the law against providing alcohol to minors. As part of the campaign, bright orange stickers warning about the penalties for furnishing alcohol to minors are affixed to multi-packs of beer and cases of other beverages containing alcohol that remind purchasers of the risk of purchasing or providing alcohol to anyone under age 21.

Sam Allen, a youth representing ME Rap (Maine Recovery Advocacy Project) worked alongside Healthy Acadia’s Katie Sell to adhere over 200 bright orange stickers to multi-packs of alcoholic beverages at two Hardwick’s Convenience Stores in Calais to remind purchasers that providing alcohol to minors is a crime. 

“Creating more awareness is so important,” said Sell. “According to our most recent survey data, one in four high school students in Washington County reported consuming alcohol within the 30 days preceding the survey.”

Thank you, Hardwick’s Convenience Store, for playing a vital part in our community and helping to prevent underage drinking in Washington County!

Sticker Shock is designed to reach adults who might purchase alcohol legally and provide it to minors. Healthy Acadia and business owners across Washington and Hancock counties are partnering to take action to prevent tragedy from happening in our towns.

For more information about Project Sticker Shock or if you are a business owner that would like to participate in efforts to prevent underage drinking and substance use in our community, contact Mia Petrini in Hancock County or Katie Sell in Washington County.

POSTTracey CarlsonCE, SB, SPR