Lincoln County Drug Free Communities Coalition is launching a campaign to educate adults, especially those 18 through 20 years, about social hosting laws. Called BUZZKILL: Serve Under 21 and the Party’s Over, the campaign shares the consequences of serving to persons underage and encourages adults to protect themselves and their peers.
Under Wisconsin law, anyone 21 or older who allows an underage person to drink or possess alcohol on their property is subject to hefty fines and even jail time. Serving to persons underage also opens the door for potential lawsuits. Plus, all alcohol, money or property associated with the offense can be immediately confiscated.
BUZZKILL: Serve Under 21 and the Party’s Over asks those adults, 18 through 20 years of age, to consider how “tonight’s party” may impact their time in college or job and their future endeavors. Social hosting is a first-degree misdemeanor, which can mean loss of scholarships or possible denial of a professional license (especially in the fields of health care, criminal justice and education). And with a permanent record, this “mistake” may continue to reveal itself through background checks conducted by potential employers.
BUZZKILL: Serve Under 21 and the Party’s Over educates adults on ways to protect themselves and their peers with tips like refusing to supply alcohol to anyone under 21, making sure alcohol is not in the possession of an underage person while on their property and reporting underage drinking to law enforcement.
Lincoln County Drug-Free Coalition supports the BUZZKILL: Serve Under 21 and the Party’s Over public awareness campaign to inform 18 through 20 year olds about the consequences of underage drinking. The mission of the Lincoln County Drug Free Coalition is to work with the community to reduce the use/abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs among youth and over time among adults.