(a) (1) Any person under the age of twenty-one years, who purchases, consumes, sells, possesses or serves nonintoxicating beer is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or shall be confined in jail, or, in the case of a juvenile, a detention facility, for a period not to exceed seventy-two hours, or both fined and confined or, in lieu of such fine and confinement, may, for the first offense, be placed on probation for a period not to exceed one year. Any person convicted under this section may be sentenced pursuant to the provisions of section one-a, article eleven-a, chapter sixty-two of this code.
(2) Nothing in this article, nor any rule or regulation of the 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 any licensee, which may include the sale or delivery of nonintoxicating beer as defined in this article. Further, nothing in this article, nor any rule or regulation of the commissioner, shall prevent or be deemed to prohibit any person who is less than eighteen but at least sixteen years of age from being employed by a licensee whose principal business is the sale of food or consumer goods or the providing of recreational activities, including, but not limited to, nationally franchised fast-food outlets, family-oriented restaurants, bowling alleys, drug stores, discount stores, grocery stores and convenience stores: Provided, That such person shall not sell or deliver nonintoxicating beer.