Teen drinking crackdown gains steam

Tammy Pust, the mother of two teenagers, was appalled by stories of booze constantly being on tap at student social gatherings and of adults who didn't seem to give a rip.

Unlike most concerned parents, however, Pust is a member of the Roseville City Council and sponsored an ordinance that makes it a crime for adults to knowingly host a party or be present at a party where minors are obviously drinking.

The ordinance, which passed March 3, is the latest in a wave of such crackdowns taking off across Minnesota.

"When your own child is coming home saying, 'I'm sick of being a designated driver,' then it's time for the community to step forward and help,'' Pust said. "This is something that children shouldn't have to deal with on their own.''

A wave of these ordinances was approved last fall: Chaska, Mankato, Red Wing and Kandiyohi County made "social hosting'' a misdemeanor.

Violators are punishable by up to 90 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.

Next came Waseca and Roseville, which approved the ordinance this month. Lakeville is expected to vote on the ordinance in April, Prior Lake in June. Carver and Blue Earth counties also are considering the measure. Minneapolis is eyeing it too.

The ordinances aren't just targeting parents lounging in the family room while teens lug kegs of beer to the basement. The ordinance applies to any adult involved in underage drinking, including hotel chaperones during student athletic conferences, older siblings and friends at rural field parties, and students at college keggers.

Adults don't have to purchase the alcohol or even be on site, if they knew in advance of the boozing. However adults who legitimately aren't aware of the underage drinking are not liable, Pust said.

"You're not going to get in trouble in Roseville if you didn't know about the drinking or took reasonable measures to stop it,'' she said.

College classmates tagged?

But Chris Frederick worries how the ordinance will play out around college campuses, where 21-year-old "hosts'' could be held liable for freshman drinking. Frederick, a member of Minnesota State University, Mankato's Student Association board, said there's already been a case like this in Mankato.

The ordinance is too broad and is ripe for uneven enforcement, argued Frederick, who said he's already seen changes on the Mankato campus.

"I've heard of some people even carding students before they come to a private party,'' he said. "It's gotten to the point where students are so concerned that it's hard to just sit down with a six-pack and watch a game.''

'Tip of the iceberg'

While Mankato's ordinance was passed in part because of college drinking, Waseca passed the ordinance after the police chief did some simple number crunching on alcohol-related violations. From 2005 to 2007, Waseca police issued 228 citations to people ages 13 to 20, said Police Chief Keith Hiller. "And that's just the tip of the iceberg,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Lakeville police heard about social hosting ordinances from a New York visitor working on a program for student athletes.

"Our officers can write 10, 20 minor [alcohol] consumption citations, but not one for the person hosting the party,'' said Lakeville Police Chief Tom Vonhof. "That didn't seem right.''

Drinking is a seasonal trend

Vonhof and other police officers say that they don't find parties packed with underage drinking every weekend. But there are certain times of the year, such as spring break, graduation, and homecoming, where it's almost a given. And as the weather warms up, the party scene also heats up, they said.

Parents can allow their own children to drink at home, under the ordinances. And visiting parents can also give their minor children permission to drink if they are present, Pust said. "But we're not going to have kids show up with a note from Mom,'' she added.

City officials say they've received few to no complaints about the ordinances.

Bloggers have criticized the measures, which some consider another example of Big Brother dictating what parents can do.

Will Minneapolis follow suit?

Minneapolis and St. Paul officials say they've watched the ordinances with interest. Such an ordinance is "possible'' in Minneapolis, in particular because of the growing number of date rapes, said City Council Member Don Samuels, who has been meeting with the police and the mayor about the problem.

"Most rapes are acquaintance rapes, and quite a bit of it is alcohol-related,'' Samuels said.

In St. Paul, City Council Member Dan Bostrom said that, for the moment, the city has other priorities, in part because the problem seems less acute there. "Suburbs have bigger yards and more space for people to park cars. If you're going to have a party in Minneapolis or St. Paul on a 50-foot lot, with a rambler on it ... it doesn't really lend itself to big parties,'' Bostrom said.

Jean Hopfensperger • 651-298-1553