Social Hosting: Underage Drinking

Spring is here and summer is on the horizon. A great time for cookouts, gathering with friends and celebrations. This time of year is also a time for graduations, proms, and end of the school year parties. Whether hosting just teens, or mixing adults with teens take extra social precautions to prevent underage drinking. Not only is it important from a moral standpoint - it is a health issue - and you also have legal responsibilities.

As parents of younger children, we are cognizant of the responsibility to keep our children safe. As they start to mature, we pull back some to find a balance between being involved in their lives and trusting them to make their own decisions. While we are enjoying their emerging independence, we need to avoid unintentionally turning a blind eye, as they are not finished maturing and their brain is not finished developing.

Well meaning parents sometimes assume that underage drinking is not a big deal. When they learn the science behind the brains development and the statistics on teen alcoholism, they begin to see the importance of prevention.

• Underage drinking is the leading cause of adult alcoholism. Those who begin drinking at 15 years old, are 5 times more likely to become an alcoholic, as opposed to someone over the age of 21. The NSDUH Report, 10/22/04.
• During teenage years the frontal lobe of the brain is actively developing. As such, alcohol addiction can occur in 6 to 18 months. www.thosewhohost.org

Their bodies look to be adult, but until their mid 20’s their brain is still developing. As parents, our job is to see them through this time of development successfully. It is important to continue to monitor their activities and talk with them about why we don’t want them to get involved with underage drinking or being under the influence of prescription or illegal drugs.

In over 24 states and 150 cities there are ordinances regarding social hosting. www.Madd.org

While many people are aware that serving alcohol to a minor is illegal, they do not consider the liability if a teen injures themselves, someone else (including sex crimes), or cause property damage. By law, you can be held liable whether you are home or not.

If you are hosting a celebration that will involve alcohol, consider making it alcohol free. It will save you money, the worry of monitoring everyone’s intake and is the only way to completely avoid liability.

If you are going to serve alcohol consider the following tips:

• Consider a monitored separate area for alcoholic drinks for adults.
• Provide plenty of food to slow the alcohol absorption rate.
• Check that any unattended drinks are disposed of promptly.
• Enlist other adults to help you with the monitoring.
• Cut off serving alcohol two hours before the gathering is to end and make sure that anyone driving is sober to do so.
• Engage anyone you have concerns about driving to stay or arrange other transportation.

According to Madd.org underage drinking cost Americans $60.3 billion in 2005 and killed 2.035 youth aged 15-20, accounting for 33 percent of all traffic fatalities. With this in mind, make sure your teen understands the personal risk of drinking while underage and liability. Ask for their help to make sure that is no underage drinking occurs and verify that teens are not coming and going from the venue.

When hosting a social occasion remember to take the time to keep your family and friends safe!