Every time you buy cigarettes, lottery tickets or alcohol – you are commonly asked for ID to see if you are 19 years of age or over. Now, things are being made easier to prove who is legal age to buy these particular products in question.
The government of Ontario, Canada is moving ahead with a special identifier on its driver licences along with their recently introduced photo ID card (for non-drivers – they’re the purple ones). The new “age identifier” will feature the “age 19″ mark in bold along with the exact date in which when the cardholder will be 19 years of age.
There are currently methods out there in which if the user is actually legal age along if the ID card is real or a fake. This new age identifier is definitely an enhancement to those methods. Persons under 19 years of age are likely to abuse alcohol and tobacco. This new age identifier system will definitely keep the young population in Ontario healthy and safe.
Expect to see the new age identifier to be deployed on all drivers licences and photo ID cards issued on or after January 1st, 2013. If you are an existing cardholder aged 19 or under and have either a drivers licence or a non-drivers photo ID card, you can have your card replaced - but for a replacement fee.
This particular feature has been lobbied by the convenience store industry. Then again, they will (and trust me, they will) have the right to refuse service by all whatever means.
References:
“Ontario tweaks drivers’ licences to keep alcohol, cigarettes out of minors’ hands.” Toronto Star. 17 December 2012. 18 December 2012. <http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1303582>
“New Ontario ID cards.” InsideHalton.com. 18 December 2012. 18 December 2012. <http://www.insidehalton.com/news/article/1555394–new-ontario-id-cards>
“Ontario driver’s licence gets ‘age 19′ identifier.” Windsor Star.18 December 2012. 18 December 2012. <http://www.windsorstar.com/Ontario+driver+licence+gets+identifier/7712806/story.html>
