As the semester crawls encouragingly foreseeable end, and signs of spring finally emerge, it suddenly occurs to us…. time to party! Inhibitions and sense of responsibility have been stuffed in the closet somewhere behind a bulky down jacket and a pair of unused snowshoes. With the combination of these factors, and Spring Fling right around the corner, what better time than now to educate yourself about the local alcohol laws.
By the age of eighteen, a person is legally allowed to engage in a variety of age sensitive activities including marriage, owning a firearm, owning a home, and in some cases beginning a family. However, the United States government somehow decided that the legal purchase and consumption of alcohol must be reserved until the age of twenty-one. According to the American Red Cross, the average American child consumes alcohol for the first time between the ages of 12-13. Hopefully, there is at least a few years gap between the age of 13 and when an individual begins to drink habitually. On the other hand, it is reasonable to assume that most people drink regularly once they reach the age of 18, which in most cases marks the beginning of college. More than half of campus arrests are alcohol related; one can plainly see this by flipping to the Campus Police Log which usually features in The Clock. It is not to say that the behavior of these individuals is acceptable, but one wonders if this could not be prevented in some way.
The laws regarding the use of alcohol vary from state to state, but in many ways remain constant in nature. New Hampshire is among the strictest states when it comes to penalties for underage alcohol consumption and related offenses.
The use of illegally altered or “fake” ID’s seems like a simple solution to a very frustrating problem. While just about every under aged person literally aches to gain entrance into the local bar or club, it is important to realize the legal consequences. Obviously having a fake ID, or in legal terms “possession of false or fraudulent identification” is highly illegal. The New Hampshire state law specifically addresses the issue of fake ID’s in title XIII, section 179:62. This section, entitled “Manufacture, Sale and Possession of False Identification” states: “No person shall knowingly manufacture, sell, advertise for sale, solicit orders for, deliver or cause to be delivered, or produce in any manner and photographic identification card that purports to be an official document issued by a local, state, or federal government, or any political subdivision thereof, which contains false or inaccurate information regarding the name, address, date of birth, or height and weight characteristics of the cardholder”.
The maximum penalty for manufacture, sale and possession of false identification is a criminal misdemeanor offense on the police record; loss of all driving privileges for up to one year as well as a steep five hundred dollar fine. Regardless of whether you have consumed alcohol, or even manufactured the ID yourself, you are still subject to the full extent of this punishment, not to mention some unhappy parents.
Section 179:10, entitled “Unlawful Possession and Intoxication” states “Any person under the age of 21 years who has in his or her possession any alcoholic beverage, who is intoxicated by consumption of alcoholic beverage, shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined a minimum of $250. Any second or subsequent offense shall be fined at least $500.
This includes transporting alcohol in your automobile. Section 179:10 was introduced to Title XIII January 1 of this year. As a Plymouth State College student, there are a number of other legal consequences involved with an alcohol related arrest. The campus Judicial Office often times requires students to enroll in “On Campus Talking About Alcohol (OCTAA), an alcohol awareness class. In OCTAA, students are required to attend a four-day long session to learn about the dangers of alcohol-related problems. OCTAA costs PSC students approximately $100 from the pocket to attend.
It is important for under-aged individuals to be aware that being in the mere presence of alcohol consumption (a party, for example) is illegal as well. There have been cases where people had not even consumed alcohol and were arrested for alcohol related offenses. New Hampshire is extremely proactive, and often considered extremely harsh on offenders of alcohol related offenses.
The question really is, how can we protect ourselves from possible trouble? Be smart about what you are doing. Spring Fling is infamous for its alcohol arrests of both of age and under-aged people. It is a well-known fact that almost everyone, regardless of age, will drink on Spring Fling, but here are a few guidelines to help reduce your chances of “crossing the line” and remaining safe.
-Be Smart; don’t allow yourself to be put into a position that you know is very risky.
-Avoid consuming alcohol in all dormitories, student apartments and all campus related buildings if you are not legally allowed.
-Do not carry “open containers”, or walk around with alcohol exposed. In some cases, even individuals over the age of 21 can be arrested for this.
-Carry legitimate identification around with you in case of an emergency.
-Stay with your friends; no one should be walking the streets alone.
-Find out what you are drinking; avoid “the punch” at all costs.
When it comes to consuming alcohol, Olin Health Center Online (www.olin.msu.edu) offers some advice as to how reduce the risk when consuming alcohol:
-Pace your drinking
-Don’t drink on empty stomach
-Keep track of how much you have
-Dilute beverages
-Alternate alcoholic/non alcohol drinks
-Avoid mixing drugs
-Designate a friend as “watcher” of the group
-Limit the amount of time you go “out”/drink
-Limit the quantity of drinks
-Never leave a drink unintended
-Drink water through out the night/outing/evening, etc.
With a combination of these factors in mind, Plymouth partiers can rest assured that their semester will end safely and without issues with the police. Be smart, be safe, but most importantly have a blast this spring! For more information about the alcohol related laws in New Hampshire, visit the New Hampshire General Court website at www.gencourt.state.nh.us.