A question relating to a statement in the Do any other wealthy, developed nations have the level of police violence in the US thread:
Is underage drinking (of alcohol) really a criminal offence on the part of the underage drinkers (rather than: on the part of those who sold them alcohol) in the US? NB this is about the consumption itself rather than about incidental offences like stealing the stuff of falsifying ID to buy it, or incidental offences commited as a result of intoxication.
Yes, at least in some states. And it’s not just drinking, but simple possession. Here’s a public university’s guide to one state’s laws:
If I’m reading right, 15 states make it illegal, 17 do not (supplying it is of course different), and 18 have some exception if it’s at home or at a restaurant (splitting a bottle of wine). That’s from a couple years ago but it shouldn’t’ve changed drastically.
50 states, 50 different laws, blah blah. lurkinghorror’s numbers sound about right. In Florida it’s a second degree misdemeanor (up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500), and the second offense is a first degree misdemeanor.
Since the OP is already answered, and not to draw any actual comparison to a thread with a similar title. Are there any other wealthy western nations where underage drinking is an offence, instead of just criminalizing distribution of alchohol to those under drinking age?
England and Wales, though it’s a finable offence only and in practice the worst that happens is that the alcohol is confiscated.
In Pennsylvania it most certainly is. A kid I know went out to celebrate his 21st birthday with his buddies. Scheduling conflicts led to this “celebration” happening 24 hours before he turned 21. There were a ton of legal ramifications, leading to him becoming bitter, getting into a fight at work and quitting, then getting a DUI along with another charge for driving without a license (which PA takes away for any underage drinking).
Yup, my son (in Missouri) was caught standing outside a frat party drinking on a public street. His mother and I were not amused.
sounds like he had way more problems than just being popped for underage drinking.
You would think so, yes. But he was a pretty normal kid. Not the best family, but I liked him. My kids went to the same high-school that he did and I used to talk with him at school activities.
** Originally Posted by Orwell View Post**
…
Look at how cops now handle underage drinking. When I was a teenager, the cops came and poured the beer on the ground, or took it with them. Nobody got written up or arrested. Now, the cops come and arrest everyone in sight. This is one of the earlier interactions many people have with the police, and it is far more antagonistic than it was 20 or 30 years ago. And no, I’m not providing a cite. Ask any parent with kids of a certain age. …
One of the things that has changed is liability. If I have a 17 year old (legally not just a minor but a child) dump a beer and walk, and later he dies of alcohol poisoning or kills someone when driving drunk, the shit storm I will face when it’s found I had contact with him will be indescribable. Even if he wasn’t drunk when I first had contact but drank more after the contact. My lack of action would boil my career.
People, please! You send your legislators to your state capitols where they write these laws, then you get pissed off when they are enforced.
Minor in Possession in Washington can screw up your life pretty bad. License consequences, (even if you weren’t driving) and possible court ordered treatment program.
Indeed, in PA a 17 year old at a party where alcohol is being consumed can loose his/her drivers license even if they were unaware of the presence of alcohol. ETA: and they blow 0.0% on a breathalyzer.
Same in Wisconsin. But The Drunkest place on Earth* allows for a 4 hour class that wipes it out. But what happens sometimes is a 15 year old will get an alcohol cite, pay the fine and nothing else. Then when they are 16, 17, 18 they go to get their driver license and find after getting it it’s automatically suspended. As if mom & dads insurance wasn’t going to go up already! Bwahaha!
Way back in the early 80’s a friend of mine got an underage ticket even though he was 18 (the drinking age at that time). The reason was there were other minors around and he believed he’d of been tagged for 4 counts of furnishing had he ID’d himself as an adult. So he said he was only 17 and took the $25 ticket. That’s all it was at the time. The furnishing fine was about $75 each at that time.
*TM
Can you offer a cite? it seems that there would have to be more to it than that.
Under this post a minor couldn’t be anywhere adults were drinking.
My daughter was dropped off at a party by her mom. When she went in the house, she realized that the parents were not home and there was alcohol being consumed. She left with a couple of friends and walked (3 miles) home.
Shortly after she left a neighbor called the cops on the party. When the cops arrived, people ran. The police searched the area and found my daughter half way home. She explained what happened. She blew 0.0%. The cop asked her to write down the names of who was at the party. She said she wanted her parents or a lawyer (as I had taught her).
She was charged with disorderly conduct. I hired legal representation (a buddy) and went to trial. Before we entered the courtroom, the cop approached us and apologized. Kids at the party had outrun him and called him names. He was pissed and admitted he had screwed up with my daughter. She accepted his apology and they shook hands.
We went in and he explained everything to the judge. She was reluctant to allow charges to be withdrawn and pointed out that when alcohol was being consumed illegally (I left out that part) anyone present can have their license taken away, even if they were not drinking. She finally did allow charges to be withdrawn, but only after a long lecture to my daughter (who is now 24 and doesn’t drink).
ETA: sorry pk, my original statement was incomplete.
Most of Europe has no legal minimum for drinking, but in practice they don’t encourage drinking under the local minimum purchase age. In England & Wales one can drink from the age of 5 in private premises.
In Britain I’ve met elderly men who were taken to pubs by workmates to drink beer aged about 15. Thus it was in the old days
[ And my grandmother was sent out to collect beer or guinness in buckets aged below 10., ]
In CA it’s not part of the Criminal code it’s the Business and Professional Code:
(a) Except as provided in Section 25667 or 25668, any person under 21 years of age who has any alcoholic beverage in his or her possession on any street or highway or in any public place or in any place open to the public is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or the person shall be required to perform not less than 24 hours or more than 32 hours of community service…
How do the varied underage drinking laws apply to sacramental wine?
Back in my youth, we were allowed to drink wine at oneg shabbots IF we had been Bar/Bas Mitzvahed. And when I recited the kiddish to the congregation on the Friday night service before my Bar Mitzvah, not only did I take a sip of the stuff afterwards, but the Assistant Rabbi standing next to me whispered “Go ahead, take a bigger drink. You did fine.”
I have no personal experience with Communion wine, but I’m sure the same laws would apply, but what are the laws?
most have exceptions for religious ceremonies.