Should It be Legal to Supply Minors with Alcohol on Private Property?

I am writing in response to the article Binge drinkers need wake-up call-top cop by Tara Ravens. Ravens argues that something needs to be done about the high ‘levels of binge drinking by young people’, ultimately arguing against making it legal to supply minors with alcohol on private property. Even so, the public has responded to the issue with mixed opinions. The majority of adults, influenced by their wisdom and life experience, seem to believe that it should remain illegal, while teenagers and young adults argue otherwise. There are significant points supporting each side of the argument, but is there a clear right or wrong?

Everyone knows and agrees with Police Commissioner Paul White that some teenagers can be reckless, irresponsible and naïve, but this does not account for each individual. It is true that some teenagers act inappropriately and cannot be trusted with alcohol, but can all adults? Classifying people into age groups and generalising their behaviour does not provide solid evidence that alcohol should be kept solely for adults because they are more responsible. Many people over eighteen, legally classified as adults, drink heavily and act irresponsibly, but alcohol consumption remains legal for them because we believe the majority of adults are responsible drinkers. In all group classifications there are people that are an exception to the rule. Some adults are not responsible, but not all teenagers are irresponsible.

As Raven states, there are many serious issues concerning teenagers and binge drinking that need to be addressed. If underage drinking was to be made legal, even if only on private premises, would it help the issue or only make it worse? Probably, make it worse. Teenagers would be able to have a drink at home with their parents, but some parents are not good role models and probably have already influenced their child’s drinking habits by drinking excessively themselves. Making it legal for minors to drink could possibly result in parents and teenagers binge drinking together, making the issue a whole lot worse.

In Australia, drinking is a part of our culture and this is not necessarily a good thing. Ravens says that Commissioner White has a negative opinion on the ‘binge drinking culture’ describing it as ‘“irresponsible, naïve and dangerous.’” The consumption of alcohol is nothing out of the ordinary, but it is only legal for people eighteen years or older.  Underage people feel the need to drink, simply because they are not allowed. Teenagers drink illegally now, is making it legal going to change anything? They have been drinking and will continue to drink; they just won’t do it as sneakily. Certain issues could arise if it were made legal for minors to drink on private property. One is that teenagers might consume more alcohol because they will have easier access to it. Another could be that the age of the first drink decreases. If the legal age to drink is dropped, does that mean that younger people are going to start drinking like fifteen, sixteen and seventeen year olds drink now? Do we really want to be responsible for stealing a few more years of innocence away from the younger members of our societies?

The biggest issue is not whether or not it should be legal to supply minors with alcohol on private property, but whether or not the younger members of our communities can conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, with or without the consumption of alcohol. At the moment, there is a reason why teenagers are described as being ‘irresponsible, naïve and dangerous’ when they are drinking and therefore, the age of legal drinking should not be lowered anytime soon. Although, we cannot predict the outcome of what would happen if it were to become legal to supply minors with alcohol, and should remain open minded to the idea if teenagers decide to act sensibly and responsibly in the future.