About Teen Parties And Alcohol (NAPSA)—Asan adult, it can be tempting to be seen by children and teenagers as the cool mom, dad, uncle or neighbor. But some- times the actions that lead to this can have consequences. One such behavior is providing alcohol to minors. According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, 10.8 million peo- ple ages 12 to 20 report drinking alcohol in the past month. Although a percentage of these Underage Drinking 78 percentof U.S. adults believe there should belegal consequencesfor adults who hostparties where people under 21 are allowed fo consumealcohol. 48 percentof adults believe that people under 21 should be allowed fo drink under the supervision of a parentor legal guardian. Source: Lawyers.com" @ offenders have older friends or avoid risk is not to allow underage main supply source—eitherby let- sible if anyone under 21 is found siblings who supplied the alcohol, parents and adults are often the ting kids have access to alcohol in the house or through condoning its use at parties they “host.” Cutting Off The Supply Newresearch by Harris Interactive shows that 78 percent of U.S. adults believe there should be legal consequences for adults who host parties where people under 21 are allowed to consumealcohol. Oddly, despite their belief in legal conse- quences, half (48 percent) of all adults believe that people under 21 should be allowed to consume alco- hol under the supervision of a par- ent or legal guardian. “All states have laws that can be enforced against adults serving alcohol to minors,” said Alan Kopit, a lawyers.com legal editor. “The adults who most often face criminal and civil charges include those who either provide alcohol to intoxicated minors or adults that provide alcohol to those underage who are later involved in automotive crashes or other accidents.” Tips For Party Hosts “Adults are clearly conflicted by this issue, but the only way to drinkingat parties,” said Kopit. 1. The party host is respon- with alcohol. Specific laws vary from state to state and penalties are often based on precedent, so it is best to assess personal risk by speaking with an attorney in advance. 2. Ensure that minors are not served. Think of hosting a party at a third-party location with an alcohol license, such as a hotel, bar or restaurant. You can also enlist professional waiters and bartenders to ensure that guests are not served if they become overly intoxicated or are underage. 3. Have designated drivers and the number of cab companies readily available. When in doubt, speak to an attorney to learn what you can do to protect yourself and your guests. To learn more about this or to find a qualified attorney in your area, visit www.lawyers.com, a comprehensive and trustworthy online legal resource. More infor- mation on the Harris Interactive survey, which was conducted for LexisNexis, can also be found on the lawyers.com site.
