Sting Operations

When I was 15 my dad asked me if I wanted to help out with some cigarette stings around Utah. Since you have to be 19 in Utah to buy cigarettes, I could help out local police departments find out which places in their towns were selling packs to underage buyers.
It was easy: I'd go in with a 5 dollar bill and ask for Marlboro Reds, hard pack. I really had no idea what a "red pack" was, but that's what they told me to ask for so that I'd remember. I'd go to the counter, ask for them and wait to see if they'd ask me for ID. If they did, I'd tell them that I'd left it in the car (which I always had). If they didn't ask, I'd give them the $5 and walk out to the unmarked cop car and show the cop that I'd bought the pack. The business could get cited or would get a warning, or whatever based on their past record.
Anyway, after I got more comfortable and accustomed to the whole thing, I liked to mix it up a bit. Sometimes I'd ask for Marlboro Reds, soft pack, or maybe the Golds, hard pack. I never dabbled, however, in Virginia Slims or Camels, they're just not my thing.

I think I bought in about 25% of the stores that I entered--which is ridiculously high if you ask me. Come to find out that the percentage of alcohol sales to underage buyers is even higher. I asked the cops about it and they said that a lot of people think that if you've got the guts to try and buy the liquor, they must be able to handle the drinking, too. Solid logic there. I never got to do alcohol stings b/c they weren't linked to the Health Department where my dad worked. I was bummed b/c I had tons of fun.