S.20.3-4: Chug It Down Act (Law'd)

[reagente]

Rules against underage drinking exist for a reason. Alcohol is harmful to minors development, and underage people can not be trusted to drink responsibly. We should continue to discourage underage drinking via fines. A warning is completely toothless if there is no eventual consequence.

I oppose this bill.

I concur. Why even have a law against underage drinking if we won't attach any practical consequence to it? Who is deterred by a toothless law?

I would be amenable to removing jail sentence for an "ordinary" act of underage drinking, but fines should absolutely remain. Or, if this is simply a public health crisis, then minors caught drinking ought to have to attend some sort of mandatory sobriety program.

[reagente]

Truthfully I'm on the fence on this. My biggest concern is the harm alcohol causes to brain development when consumed at a young age, I worry that by passing this bill, we'd be sending a message that the government is giving the green light to underage drinking.

What would people's thoughts be on an amendment similar to what Delegate Reagente suggested: remove it as a criminal offense, just state that minor consumption results in a fine up to $100 and requirement to attend a government-approved drug and alcohol course. With such amendment, I would vote in favor of this, but I'll wait to hear feedback from both sides of the issue.

I'd sign that bill since it's better than the current situation but I still don't really agree with that sort of punishment.

If we aren't going to have any deterrent for underage individuals, why not just abolish the drinking age altogether? I don't see why we should punish only the supply side of this if we don't care at all about deterring the demand side.

[reagente]

With no objections, the amendment is adopted.

How do delegates feel about the current version, are people more comfortable voting for it?

I am comfortable voting for it.

[reagente]

DTC's amendment has been adopted.

Any more discussion before a final vote?

I am ready to have a final vote.

[reagente]

aye