Several county students received tickets for possessing alcohol in two separate incidents in the past two weeks.
Sheriff Mike Borkovich and his deputies were called to gatherings on a road end beach and another on private property after receiving tips about underage drinking.
“It’s the law,” Borkovich said. But it wasn’t always. On January 1, 1972, Michigan changed its age of majority and drinking age to 18 to make them align with the new voting age. Michigan was among the first of many states who lowered their drinking age in the early 1970s in response to the 26th Amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
“It was in response to the Vietnam War. The thought was if an 18-year-old can be drafted, why can’t they drink legally?” Borkovich said.
Under Michigan law, it is illegal for individuals under 21 to purchase, possess, or consume alcohol. This includes having an open or closed container of alcohol in their possession, even if it hasn’t’ been opened or consumed.
Simply holding a container of alcohol could result in a citation.
“We want our kids to celebrate …play volleyball and celebrate with all the fun activities they enjoy — without alcohol,” the Sheriff said.
Sadly, each spring there are reports of tragedies all over the country resulting from students celebrating graduation from high school with alcohol.
The dangers are real. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, underage drinking can lead adolescents to make poor decisions and engage in potentially harmful behavior (e.g., drinking and driving, unsafe sexual behavior, and other substance use) that can result in a range of negative consequences, such as injuries, sexual assaults, and even death.
“We don’t want our kids involved in horrible tragedies,” Borkovich said.
Parental supervision of their teens is key to prevention.
“Parent may say, ‘Well, he could drink in Mexico, so why not here,’” the Sheriff said. “The reality is that it is the law — if we ignore this, we set ourselves up for liability.”
It is illegal for adults to purchase or provide alcohol to minors. In addition, social hosts, who furnish alcohol to minors and allow them to consume it may be held liable for injuries or damages caused by the intoxicated minor.
There is a two-tier system when handling MIPs. On first offense, a civil infraction punishable by a not-to-exceed $100. On second or subsequent offenses, a misdemeanor can be issued and the court can also order the minor to participate in substance use disorder services, perform community service, and undergo substance abuse screening and assessment.
“It can happen at any time, any place and at any school,” Borkovich said. “The rules are there for a reason.”
