New law on underage drinking will help save lives

By Michael R. Gibbons

In a recent front-page article, a Cape Girardeau lawyer was upset about new tools to help combat underage drinking in Missouri. I know the communities, parents, law enforcement officials and, most importantly, the students who helped create this comprehensive approach believe we are on the right track.

The law was a result of a committee of both Republicans and Democrats that heard testimony from across the state, much of it from high school students, detailing the real effects of the drinking that takes place. You don't have to look too far to find the horrible evidence.

Four out of five Missouri high schoolers acknowledged having tried alcohol. And, frighteningly, one out of three admitted to being binge drinkers. That means they are drinking for the sole purpose of getting drunk, and that's a dangerous thing to do.

Drinking among minors leads to serious injuries, death, and destruction of property. In 2001, underage drinking cost Missourians approximately $1.4 billion. But the personal concerns far outweigh the financial losses. Traffic accidents, fights, high-risk sex and teen pregnancy all increase among minors when alcohol is involved. Plain and simple, drinking alcohol is harmful to people who are underage.

The lawyer didn't agree that losing a driver's license for 30 days "all for one mistake of having a beer when he or she is not driving" is right. I would like to introduce him to the high school students who told us that driving privileges and extracurricular activities should be used as incentives to keep kids from drinking. These students will someday be confronted with alcohol, and we did what they suggested to help them and other students say no when that day comes.

We don't have any delusions that we can eliminate underage drinking, but we are serious about reducing it. We're not interested in punishing people, but there is no state in America that has a drinking age less than 21. That's the law, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure people follow it.

The new law encourages cooperation from students, parents, schools, law enforcement officials and the community to help keep students safe and sober. It gives schools and law enforcement new tools to combat underage drinking, and it holds parents responsible who host house parties where minors are drinking.

Unless we address the issue of underage drinking from all these levels, like this law works to do, underage drinking will become more prevalent.

We passed this bill because it helps protect our children by keeping them safe and sober. I hope someday we can all share this goal.

Michael R. Gibbons of Kirkwood, Mo., is the president pro tem of the Missouri Senate.