Hundreds Of Minors Caught Using Fake IDs To Try To Buy Pot
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4)- Hundreds of minors have been caught trying to use fake IDs at dispensaries in Colorado's high country.
According to the town of Breckenridge, they have confiscated 117 fake IDs since January 2017. That's compared to 16 related to alcohol sales establishments during the same time period.
Garrett Neale is the retail sales manager Alpenglow on Airport Road in Breckenridge. He says his employees are on the front lines combating the fake ID issue.
"Our budtenders are doing a great job spotting them and turning those over to police," Neale told CBS4 Wednesday.
Breckenridge police shared a photo of a stack of hundreds of those fakes they have collected over the last few years.
Police said they see a higher number of out-of-state visitors getting caught during spring break and during the ski season.
"We do take it seriously. Especially as a very popular resort town we have lots of people coming in from out of town and lots of underage people coming in who want to enjoy everything that Breckenridge has to offer," said Breckenridge spokeswoman Haley Littleton.
Neale said they are now seeing fewer minors coming in trying to get weed at his shop.
"The kids are kind of realizing that it's harder in dispensaries now. We've seem to see less than we did when we first started with recreational (marijuana). That's a good thing," said Neale.
Littleton said officials are being careful about how they handle the situations for the minor suspects, who get summonses through the mail after getting caught.
"We understand that not all states are as lenient and as accepting as Colorado is, so we do want to make sure that we are not sticking someone with something that is going to last a lifetime and is going to show up on repeated serious background checks," she said.
Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.
