Did you ever wonder what the facts really are about underage drinking in Arizona? The following statistics may interest you. It is reported that when asked, over 28% of the population between the ages of 12 and 20 admitted to consuming alcohol over the prior month; and that 18% of the same population says they binged on alcohol during the previous month. For the 18 to 20 year old group, over 50% said they consumed alcohol within the past 30 days; surprisingly, over 32% said they binged on alcohol during the same period.
Both the consumption of alcohol by underage drinkers, and the traffic deaths and other tragedies resulting from it, take place within a legal system that has passed numerous laws in an attempt to prevent it. The following are just a few of the many laws governing alcohol consumption by minors:
- Underage consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
- Underage possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
- Underage purchase of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
- Using false identification to obtain alcohol is a criminal offense.
Penalties for the minor violating these laws include loss of driving privileges. New laws and regulations will continue to be written, for example the new Tempe ordinance concerning social host liability and underage drinking reported in our December 20, 2011 blog.
The problem is not a new one, and we believe more needs to be done, particularly in the area of education, to inform youngsters of the dangers they face and the dangers and risks to others not only by underage drinking, but by alcohol abuse in general.
If your son or daughter has been charged with underage drinking, contact a Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyer to help see you and your child through this difficult time.