Some schools in the UK will soon be rolling out proof-of-age cards to help cut down on underage drinking. In Herts County, where a reported 40 percent of 16 to 24 year olds don’t have a driver’s license, the cards can be used to verify age when purchasing age-restricted products such as alcohol and tobacco. Police prefer that young people carry the proof-of-age ID cards rather than their passports.

The Herts County program is based on other successful youth ID systems in place throughout the UK. Those programs have reported that alcohol sales to minors have dropped more than 25 percent since the introduction of the ID cards.