Interesting article over on MSNBC about the push to lower the legal drinking age to 18.
Well, that's sort of a misnomer, especially in Missouri. The article explains that there is NO FEDERAL LAW forbidding the sale of alcohol to minors, just a hodgepodge of state laws that have been enacted to fall within a threat from Congress in 1984 to withhold 10% of highway funds from any state that did not prohibit SELLING alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. Every state did so, but they only changed the SALES age, not the drinking age.
In Missouri, for instance, the law says that anyone under the age of 21 may consume alcohol in their parent's or guardian's residence is said parent or guardian is present. That's really interesting, now isn't it?
Some of our neighbors have other versions. Kansas and Tennessee say no consumption for anyone under 21, while Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky and Oklahoma says anyone can imbibe. Illinois, on the other hand, says that anyone under 21 may consume if married AND the spouse or guardian is present.
It's like this all over the country and there are now supporters in 4 states (Missouri is one of them) pushing ballot initiatives to lower the purchase age to 18. The main argument has been around for as long as I can remember even wanting to drink... That a person who is considered old enough to serve his country in war time and vote for the direction this country should go, should be old enough to decide if he would like to drink a beer after he gets back from the front lines, regardless if that's in another country or at the polls.
Interesting reading, given the study from a couple of weeks ago that said that teens increasingly turn to hard liquor and do so by going "underground" to both purchase and over-indulge.
So... What do you think? Should the age to purchase be lowered?
Edit!!! Sorry the poll I had here wasn't working right. I'll try to get it fixed and repost tomorrow. /Edit!!!
Technorati Tags: Legal Drinking Age, Alcohol,
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Well, that's sort of a misnomer, especially in Missouri. The article explains that there is NO FEDERAL LAW forbidding the sale of alcohol to minors, just a hodgepodge of state laws that have been enacted to fall within a threat from Congress in 1984 to withhold 10% of highway funds from any state that did not prohibit SELLING alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. Every state did so, but they only changed the SALES age, not the drinking age.
In Missouri, for instance, the law says that anyone under the age of 21 may consume alcohol in their parent's or guardian's residence is said parent or guardian is present. That's really interesting, now isn't it?
Some of our neighbors have other versions. Kansas and Tennessee say no consumption for anyone under 21, while Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky and Oklahoma says anyone can imbibe. Illinois, on the other hand, says that anyone under 21 may consume if married AND the spouse or guardian is present.
It's like this all over the country and there are now supporters in 4 states (Missouri is one of them) pushing ballot initiatives to lower the purchase age to 18. The main argument has been around for as long as I can remember even wanting to drink... That a person who is considered old enough to serve his country in war time and vote for the direction this country should go, should be old enough to decide if he would like to drink a beer after he gets back from the front lines, regardless if that's in another country or at the polls.
Interesting reading, given the study from a couple of weeks ago that said that teens increasingly turn to hard liquor and do so by going "underground" to both purchase and over-indulge.
So... What do you think? Should the age to purchase be lowered?
Edit!!! Sorry the poll I had here wasn't working right. I'll try to get it fixed and repost tomorrow. /Edit!!!
Technorati Tags: Legal Drinking Age, Alcohol,
Powered by ScribeFire.
Comments
A few weeks ago the head of liquor control came to Branson City Hall. I questioned him on this very topic. His response was, though it's true a minor can drink with a parents permission - If the drink is served in the bar and the server allows the drink to be consumed by a minor - the server can be arrested.
Darin
So I guess if you give them a sip, and they never hold the container, then you would be OK.
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C300-399/3110000325.HTM
2. Any owner, occupant, or other person or legal entity with a lawful right to the exclusive use and enjoyment of any property who knowingly allows a person under the age of twenty-one to drink or possess intoxicating liquor or knowingly fails to stop a person under the age of twenty-one from drinking or possessing intoxicating liquor on such property, unless such person allowing the person under the age of twenty- one to drink or possess intoxicating liquor is his or her parent or guardian, is guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Any second or subsequent violation of this subsection is a class A misdemeanor.
The important part there is the "unless such person allowing the person under the age of twenty- one to drink or possess intoxicating liquor is his or her parent or guardian" part, which would imply that parents and guardians are exempt from the supplying regs.
My understanding is that unless the minor than leaves the premises, they would not be checked for a blood alcohol level.