Are underage drinking laws effective?
Patrick Fancher: Most of us have heard the phrase, “If ain’t broken, then don’t try to fix it,” which perfectly describes how I view the current state laws regarding underage drinking. Binge drinking will always be appealing to underage students, because many of them associate the college experience with going to parties and getting drunk. Changing the legal age to 18 or having less strict laws in place will do nothing to affect that philosophy. The penalties are stiff for a reason, and are generally harsh enough that people won’t make the same mistake twice. Minors in possession of alcohol face a minimum of $250 in fines, or could end up having to do community service and/or attend alcohol assessment and treatment, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. I have firsthand experience regarding the tough state laws for alcohol related offenses, and I learned my lesson. When I was 21, I made the mistake of drinking and driving, and was arrested for a DUII. I had to deal with th
