Last week saw the launch of new proof of age cards under the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS), founded in 2001, which aims to cut down on the number of young people buying and therefore consuming tobacco and alcohol when under age.
From now on, PASS cards issued to people over the age of 18 in England and Wales will be of a standard design to ease recognition. This is the most fundamental change to the PASS Proof of Age Scheme since its launch. Since then over 5 million cards have been issued and the PASS hologram is widely recognised and accepted in both the on and off trade.
The cards have been designed to provide retailers and bar owners with the assurance that they are not breaking the law by supplying products to under age youngsters and to save the young people the risk of carrying other proofs of identity that might get lost or stolen, such as driving licences and passports.
The unique hologram on the PASS card also makes it virtually impossible to ‘doctor’ the ID and, in fact, the organisation says that there has not been even one attempted forgery detected.
It is also the only scheme that is backed by the Government and enforcement authorities, such as the Police and Trading Standards, all of which have hailed the new card as a major step forward.
As a spokesman for the City of London Police Licensing Team said, PASS is an excellent scheme, which allows 18-year-olds and over to prove their age without having to carry their passports with them on a night out. He added that losing a passport is not only distressing for the individual, but also causes major problems for the police if the individual’s identity is stolen.