All high school students and many college students are not old enough to drink. They need to be 21 years old, and drinking underage is generally illegal. There are some situations in which parents can authorize it, but minors are not allowed to buy alcohol or possess it themselves.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. A lot of drinking happens at high school parties or social gatherings in college. In fact, college is well known for its party scene, despite the fact that drinking is probably only legal for about half of the college population. One of the main reasons for this is just peer pressure.
A new social setting
What often happens is that young people arrive at college and they have a brand new social setting. They don’t know anyone. Everything is unfamiliar. Life feels more unstable. They want to make friends and socialize, and they’re trying to put their best foot forward.
So, someone who has never had alcohol before may find themselves out at a college party where a lot of people are drinking. Many of these individuals may have started in high school, so they don’t view it as a big deal. They may pressure this new person to also partake and have a few drinks. That individual never would have done so if they were in their dorm room by themselves, but the pressure to fit in with that new social group will cause them to break the law.
Getting arrested for underage drinking in college can have a major impact on a young person’s future. Students and their parents need to understand all of their legal defense options.
