Area taverns, liquor stores and students are skeptical about whether a license-verifying system would have much effect on deterring underage drinking in Ames.

The electronic system would enable businesses to swipe a customer’s driver’s license to read the metallic strip, which would confirm the holder’s age and birthdate.

However, Ryan Stooner, manager of The Keg Shop, 218 Welch Ave., said this system would not solve the underage drinking problem because there will “still be the discrepancy if that is actually the person [the license belongs to].”

Stooner said requiring sellers to ask for two forms of identification may be a more effective solution than the electronic verification.

Michael Jacobson, manager and owner of Sportsman Lounge, 123 Main St., said the system would not be of much use to his business because of the cost of the machine and the age group of his customers.

“For us, [the driver’s license reader] wouldn’t really be that important because we don’t really see that many students,” he said. “For the cost involved for each place to purchase one, I don’t know if it would really be that worthwhile.”

Though the electronic age-verifying machines are not new, they have just recently become available at more affordable prices.

According to an article last week in The Des Moines Register, machines are available from a California-based company for $288, which is less that the $300 fine businesses face for selling alcohol to a minor.

Stooner said the Keg Shop has not yet been fined for selling alcohol to minors, but he may consider purchasing a license reader if it becomes a problem.

“The fines outweigh the cost of what the machine would be,” he said, “[but] it is probably be more of hassle than anything.”

Though new laws have decreased the number of minors who try to purchase alcohol, Stooner said The Keg Shop still catches four or five minors a week.

Jodee Rydberg, graduate student in sports psychology, said the machines would be a good idea because they might stop some underage drinking.

“I think there’s a lot of people getting away with buying alcohol underage; I think [the verifying system] would be safer for everybody all around,” Rydberg said.

However, Rydberg said the machines will not be able to single-handedly stop underage drinking.

“I think it would probably deter it, but I don’t think it would stop it,” Rydberg said. “People are going to get around it no matter what method people choose.”

Zewde Demissie, sophomore in genetics, agreed that the metallic strip reader would be a step toward preventing minors from drinking but would not solve the problem.

“I think [license verifiers are] a good idea; it would save time and make it harder for minors to purchase liquor, but I think that if people are determined enough, they will find some way to get around it,” Demissie said.

Demissie said a better method of stopping underage alcohol purchasing would be catching “those that are making the [fake] IDs and stop the flow of IDs.”

As an alternative to the license readers, Jacobson said laws should place more serious fines on minors rather than the businesses that sell the alcohol.

“I think that trying to purchase alcohol should be a serious fine in itself,” he said. “Make it more [the minor’s] problem; they’re the ones trying to break the law.”