Author: Brenda Sisler

Currently when law enforcement answers a complaint at a party, it is very difficult for them to prove who provided the alcohol to the underage attendees. A Social Host Ordinance is a law that makes it illegal to provide an environment where underage drinking takes place, regardless of who provides the alcohol. WHY HAVE ONE? Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth, causing more harm and death for youth than all illegal drugs combined. According to the MD 2014 YRBS Survey, 41% of Garrett County high school youth drank alcohol in the last 30 days, which surpasses the state average. Most youth report that the most common source for alcohol is from social means such as friends, relatives, or other adults. A Social Host Ordinance provides law enforcement with a formal course of action to combat underage drinking. It recoups some of the expense of providing police and/or other public services in responses to these gatherings. Youth who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence later in life than those who begin drinking at or after age 21. The Social Host Ordinance can help reduce the damage to teens developing brains, and reduce the number of crimes and the cost attributed to underage drinking.  

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