LEWISTON – Healthy Androscoggin is offering all sellers of alcohol and tobacco the opportunity to participate in an alcohol seller training, a state-approved program that helps reduce sales to underage youth and intoxicated adults.

The training promotes responsible and legal seller practices through teaching state laws relating to the sale and distribution of alcohol and addresses the legal responsibilities of selling alcohol and tobacco.

The training will cover identification of minors, interventions to prevent a visibly intoxicated patron from driving, detection of false IDs and the importance of good written policies. There will also be a section pertaining to the sale of tobacco products.

Those who successfully complete the program will be certified by the Maine Department of Public Safety, Liquor Licensing, for a period of three years.

The training will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at 12 High Street Conference Room B&C (lower level), Central Maine Medical Center.

Anyone who sells alcohol and tobacco, such as store clerks and store managers, should attend. A driver’s license or picture ID must be shown at the time of registration.

Cost is $5 and checks should be made payable to BC Consultants at the door or sent in with registration. Preregistration is required.

Frank Lyons, instructor, is a 29-year law enforcement veteran and spent the majority of his career serving as a liquor enforcement officer and trainer for the Department of Public Safety.

The training is being offered as part of the responsible retailing program spearheaded by Healthy Androscoggin and in collaboration with the Lewiston, Auburn and Lisbon police departments and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office.

To register, contact Christine Letcher at Healthy Androscoggin, 795-5990 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about Healthy Androscoggin projects, visit www.healthyandroscoggin.org.