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Social Host Laws Prohibit Underage Drinking in House Parties
Social hosting, a disturbing practice in society today, is defined as adults in private settings providing alcohol and/or allowing underage drinking among children who are not their own. While some believe that consumption of alcohol before the age of 21 is an inevitable “rite of passage”, research demonstrates this behavior is detrimental to our youth. The consequences of underage drinking include a wide range of medical problems. Research has shown that the brain changes dramatically during adolescence and consumption of alcohol during this stage of life can seriously inhibit its normal growth and development. In addition, underage drinking contributes significantly to participation in risky sexual behaviors and the incidence of physical and sexual assaults, suicide attempts, drowning, alcohol poisoning and traffic accidents.
What is a “Social Host” Law?
An ordinance, like a ticket with a fine and/or jail time. Under this legislation, any person age 16 and over who allows alcohol or other drugs to be used by a minor on one’s property.
- This means that if you go away and your child, age 16, has a party at your home – your child can be cited.
- If a parent allows their child to have friends over and does nothing to prevent the consumption of alcohol or other drugs, the parents can be cited for allowing this behavior.
Why is a Social Host Law important?
- This legislation closes the loophole that exists in the current underage drinking laws whereby if youth do not report where the alcohol comes from, little can be done. Making it illegal to allow a minor to consume alcohol on premise, eliminates the need to know who provided alcohol.
- It will help to reduce easy access by youth, binge drinking, and will hold teens accountable for their actions.
- Provides law enforcement an important tool to prevent tragedy instead of only being able to react to it.
- It reinforces the message that underage drinking is unhealthy, unsafe, and unacceptable while encouraging community members to take back their streets and sends the message that “we don’t want those parties in our neighborhoods”.
Does it take away my rights as a parent?
- No! Since it is already illegal to provide alcohol to someone else’s children, parents are not losing any rights. Instead, the bill provides parents with peace of mind in knowing that their children are not encouraged by other adults to drink alcohol when their child is in someone else’s home.
To learn more about Social Host Laws, visit www.socialhost.org
To become involved in or learn about local efforts to pass a Social Host Law, contact Samantha at the Council at
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To learn facts about Underage Drinking, click on link below....
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 March 2010 16:14 )
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