Hold underage drinkers responsible

This week the Indiana State Senate will vote on Senate Bill 97, which is designed to hold people who buy kegs accountable if minors consume from them.\nUnder the bill, when someone of legal drinking age purchases a keg, he will place his signature and basic information beside a serial number that coincides with the keg. If a party gets busted, then even if the purchaser is not in attendance, he may be held liable for every minor who was there drinking.\n While it would certainly be ideal to find a way to curb underage drinking, the problem with minors consuming will not be solved by holding adults accountable for supplying the beer. If it isn't a keg, it will be party balls, cases of beer or bottles of hard alcohol. \nWhat Indiana legislators should address is the responsibility of the drinker, not the supplier -- a much more direct defense against underage consumption.\n One problem with SB 97 is that young adults who are going to drink will do so regardless of the fact that they are endangering their alcohol supplier. At large keg parties most of the guests don't even know the person who bought the keg. Why should they care that the supplier could get slapped with a fine because of their drinking?\nThere are already minor consumption and contributing to minor tickets that control these circumstances -- an increased fine for purchase of a keg will only increase the sales of other units of alcohol and paperwork for police officers on the weekends.\nIf the focus of the bill is underage drinking, make the underage drinker responsible. The bill undermines the rights of the 21-year-old adult who wants to enjoy a few beers with friends. If the person is accountable for underage drinking, the government is placing the burden of policing on people.\nThe problem with this bill is there are too many circumstances that could arise and not enough accountability for the actual drinker. Increase the consequences for minor consumption or make a whole new punishment process for underage consumers.\nJust don't blame the source of the alcohol. Blame the source of the problem -- the underage drinker.\nStaff vote: 8 - 4 - 1\nyes - no - abstain