(a) (1) No person who is eighteen or over but under the age of twenty-one years shall purchase, consume, sell, serve or possess alcoholic liquor. Any person who is under eighteen years who purchases, consumes, sells, serves or possesses alcoholic liquor is guilty of a status offense, as that term is defined in West Virginia Code 49-1-4, and, upon adjudication therefor, shall be referred to the Department of Health and Human Resources for services, as provided in West Virginia Code 49-5-11.
(2) Nothing is this section, nor any rule or regulation of the Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner, shall prevent or be deemed to prohibit any person who is at least eighteen years of age from serving in the lawful employment of a licensee which includes the sale and serving of alcoholic liquor.
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a person who is at least eighteen years of age from purchasing or possessing alcoholic liquor when he or she is acting upon the request of or under the direction and control of any member of a state, federal or local law-enforcement agency or the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Administration while the agency is conducting an investigation or other activity relating to the enforcement of the alcohol beverage control statutes and the rules and regulations of the Commissioner.
(b) No person under the age of twenty-one years shall, for the purpose of purchasing liquor from a retail licensee, misrepresent his or her age, or for such purpose present or offer any written evidence of age which is false, fraudulent, or not actually his or her own, or illegally attempt to purchase liquor from a retail licensee.
(c) No person shall knowingly buy for, give to or furnish to anyone under the age of twenty-one to whom he or she is not related by blood or marriage any liquor from whatever source.
(d) No person while on the premises of a retail outlet shall consume liquor or break the seal on any package or bottle of liquor.
(WVaC 60-3A-24; Ord. 2022-011. Passed 11-7-22.)