Underage drinking in America

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Underage drinking in America is a common phenomenon that occurs in most young American adults' lives.

Although the minimum legal age to purchase alcohol is 21 in all states (see National Minimum Drinking Age Act), the legal details vary greatly. While a few states completely ban alcohol usage for people under 21 [1], the majority have exceptions that permit consumption.

When drinking occurs in private establishments, the alcohol is usually obtained by a person who is over 21, though a few liquor and convenience stores illegally sell to underage people. While this occurs occasionally, programs such as Cops in shops and strict fines make it more appealing to store owners to check a person's age.

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[edit] Methods

Underage persons commonly obtain alcoholic beverages through the use of a false or altered identification card (Fake Identification), through asking older persons to purchase it for them (Shoulder tap), and from friends, siblings or parents [2].

[edit] False identification

It is against the law in all states to purchase alcohol with the use of a false or altered fake identification (ID) card. Consequences range from having the ID taken away to hefty fines, losing driving privileges, or jail sentences.[3]

Over the years states have made IDs very difficult to create or alter. Before the 21-year drinking age was set in 1984, multiple states still issued non-photo IDs. Today, all U.S. States and territories have photo IDs with holograms and most have either a scannable barcode or magnetic strip that can show the name, age, and ID number of the licensee. However, many high quality fake IDs have these features as well.

Many licensed beverage establishments have trained doormen, bartenders or special electronic scanners that can detect many fake IDs. A few states or bar owners give doormen or bartenders a monetary reward for every fake ID confiscated from an underage drinker.

[edit] Border crossing

Underage persons in the US who live in areas that border Canada and Mexico, both of which have lower drinking ages, sometimes cross the border in order to obtain alcoholic beverages. They may consume it there or upon return home. In Michigan for example, a person drinking in Ontario at age 19 can return to Michigan and not be legally cited because the consumption was done in Canada. Being intoxicated under the age of 21 is not illegal. Consuming it in Michigan is.

[edit] Shoulder tap

Shoulder tapping usually occurs with people who are well below age 21. The underage person asks an older person to purchase the alcohol on their behalf. The person initiating the "shoulder tap" can be arrested for loitering and the adult purchasing the alcohol can be arrested for illegally supplying alcohol to a minor. This is also commonly referred to as the "hey mister" or "running a packy."

[edit] Enforcement

Police are usually moderately tolerant of underage drinking provided that the drinkers are not in violation of other crimes while drinking. Police are even more tolerant if the drinking occurs indoors on private property[citation needed].

Proponents usually argue many lives may have been saved because youth are less likely to drink and drive[citation needed].

Critics usually argue that because it is illegal, underage drinking has largely gone "underground" where it cannot easily be monitored and controlled. Another common argument against the 21 drinking age is that if people are old enough to vote and go to war at age 18, they should be old enough to drink as well.

[edit] The future of underage drinking

Although nearly 2/3 of the population over 21 reports supporting the current 21-year drinking age and very little organized opposition to it exists, statistics show that most underage people drink at some time; only about 20% completely abstain from drinking until they turn 21.[citation needed] Supporters of the high drinking age say that even if the drinking age were lowered to 18, as it is in the United Kingdom and a large percentage of the rest of the world, it is possible that underage drinking would occur at similar levels, only with the demographics lowered.[4]

While some Americans are in favor of a lower drinking age, the likelihood of it being lowered appears to be low. Any state that lowered the drinking age would lose 10% of its federal highway funding[5]. This could range from a $6-150 million loss for a state.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Seven States Prohibit Underage Drinking[1]
  2. ^ 65% of Underage Youth Who Drink Get Alcohol From Family and Friends[2]
  3. ^ Reducing Underage Drinking[3]
  4. ^ MADD Online: Stats & Resources
  5. ^ http://epw.senate.gov/title23.pdf Title 23 of the United States Code, Highways.

[edit] External links

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