Jackie Annett investigates the wealth of fake ID cards that are readily available on the internet and the repercussions they have on the trade.
An investigation by thePublican.com has uncovered a vibrant market in fake ID cards which is putting licensees at risk.
A search of the internet presented us with a staggering 71,000 sites that could provide us with fake cards.
We found that for just £10 anyone can purchase an authentic looking age verification card with the date of birth of their choice.
The sites are adding to the confusion among licensees who are already being presented with a host of different proof-of-age cards.
What's frightening is that these sites are entirely legal. Yet the licensee will have no defence if caught selling to under-18s, even if they have produced false identity.
The sites are promoting their products as novelty items but it doesn't take a genius to work out there's a much more sinister side.
Our first port of call was www.fakeid.co.uk. Although it carried a "get-out" clause, which stated that all items were novelties, and have no official or other status - its intentions were questionable.
"None of the organisations mentioned on our products are genuine and no representation should be made to that effect," the website said.
"You are solely responsible for the way in which you use your card." We tried to contact the company by email - as there wasn't a phone number to call - but we had no response.
But we did manage to track down the managing director of another site, www.photo-id. co.uk. We asked him how he could justify the fact that underage drinkers were using his cards.
"We're just a novelty company doing what we do for teenagers' enjoyment," Ryan Stanley said. "Some people might use these cards for the wrong reasons but we aren't aware of it."
When challenged, he said that the website's disclaimer clearly pointed out that these cards should not be used for illegal reasons. He denied that this was simply a means of saving his own skin.
This was a little hard to swallow, especially with the website claiming: "A realistic and effective card for proving your age. This is our most popular ID and gives great results."
Another site, www.identifake.com, advertised proof-of-age cards with the slogan "Who would doubt this little beauty?". And if you're too young to own a credit card don't worry. This site allows youngsters to pay by postal order or even cash - the perfect solution for the teenager without a bank account.
But rather than accept any responsibility, the company's creative director put the blame firmly at the licensees' door.
"We neither promote nor suggest the use of any of our cards for any purpose other than novelty. Our cards are not based on pre-existing cards," Warren MacKenzie said.
"We cannot be held responsible for licensed premises allowing children to drink themselves stupid because they waved an unrecognised piece of plastic in front of their noses.
"The licensing bodies should inform the establishment just exactly which cards are to be accepted and any others should be refused. It's as simple as that."
The controversial debate surrounding the introduction of a national ID card gained momentum after the atrocities of September 11.
The terrorist attacks on America provoked calls for national security to be heightened and many said a national identification card for all British citizens was the only way forward.
Just a couple of weeks ago the Local Government Association pressed the government to clarify proposals for the scheme but it seems for now the government is firmly placing its hand over its mouth.
It's a debate that licensees are particularly involved in, because not only would such a scheme minimise the risk of terrorism on British shores, it could also nip the age-old problem of underage drinking in the bud by acting as proof-of-age.
But if the government does decide to fire ahead with such a scheme it could well be a lifetime before it is in place. A quick play around on the internet proved just how easy it was to get hold of fake ID.
After visiting only three sites we already had all the information we needed. Some of these sites even allowed youngsters to upload their photograph on the internet, speeding up the delivery process to only a matter of days.
Drinks industry watchdog The Portman Group knows only too well how huge the problem is.
It is working to stop sites from illegally reproducing its own Prove It cards - an industry recognised scheme for 18 to 25-year-olds.
The Portman Group's director Jean Coussins condemned websites that offer copies or fake ID.
"These companies have set out knowingly to sell fake proof-of-age cards to children," she said. "It not only places young people at potential risk, but also risks undermining the efforts of licensees and the police who are working to reduce the problems caused by underage drinking."
David Poley, director of policy and good practice at The Portman Group, explained what problems the group was up against: "There are three types of cards. Firstly there are those that reproduce an existing genuine proof-of-age card such as our Prove It card. We had three of these shut down last year.
"The second type, which is an area that we are clamping down on, is those cards that try to look like existing ones. If these stray too much then we can take action. "And then there are cards that don't resemble any existing cards. But these can be a problem if licensees and other retailers aren't aware of what cards to accept."
Unfortunately, The Portman Group doesn't have the power to shut down sites that offer fake proof-of-age cards if they do not copy an existing scheme.
But publicans can take heart following the recent launch of a nationally recognised scheme that should help the trade and the police to tackle this problem.
All genuine age verification cards now have to bear the PASS logo and The Portman Group is working hard to raise awareness of the initiative within the licensed community.
We can only hope that it goes a long way to stamping out underage drinking in our country's pubs. Unfortunately, underage drinkers will always exist and the government's indecisiveness over a national identity card could plod on for some years yet. But thePublican.com's investigation into fake identity cards proves just how easy it is for teenagers to dupe licensees.
The PASS scheme should be fully phased in during 2004; until then publicans are urged to only accept the Prove It card or another government-backed scheme. If youngsters realise their efforts are not being successful then it wont be long before these fake ID cards are of no use to anyone.
Underage drinking hits a high, says survey
Underage drinking is rife among the young, according to research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
The survey, which was carried out last April among 14,000 school pupils in England, Scotland and Wales, found that children as young as 13 were buying alcohol illegally to get drunk.
But what the results don't show is how often these teenagers go to the pub rather than an off-licence, bootlegger or supermarket. Figures for this are not available.
Among the shocking results was the news that half of all 15 and 16-year-olds admitted downing five or more alcoholic drinks at a session with a quarter of all students aged 13 and 14 claiming they drank the same amount. When it came to 11 and 12-year-olds, nine per cent of boys and five per cent of girls described themselves as "regular drinkers".
But it's not just the pub trade that needs to stamp out the problem of underage drinking. The British Institute of Innkeeping believes many underage drinkers get alcohol from illegal sources rather than their local boozer.
To combat this, campaigners are calling for a cut