The Student Room Group

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20
I've been drinking wine most my life, my fondest memories were skipping class and drinking wine down in a mates cellar while listening to guns n roses from the age of 14 onwards, thus GCSE grades ended not as good..

To be honest, the world would be a depressing place if there wasn't usa to amuse us..
Typical USA! Freedom of guns for all, but alcohol is a no no.
Reply 22
Reue
You dont think its a crime to openly lie to a minor's parents about providing them with an illegal substance?


Alcohol is not an "illegal substance" - it's merely that the people in question were not of an age in which they were able to legally drink it. Calling it an "illegal substance" is highly moronic. It's not as if they were given heroin.

The sentence is absolutely ridiculous, and I think it's unlikely that there are any other judges who would have given a punishment even remotely similar. I'm actually quite surprised that the parents were even charged with anything in the first place.
Reply 23
foxo
Alcohol is not an "illegal substance" - it's merely that the people in question were not of an age in which they were able to legally drink it. Calling it an "illegal substance" is highly moronic. It's not as if they were given heroin.


A) Drug The term "drug" means a controlled substance, as defined in schedules I through V of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).

(B) Illegal use of drugs The term "illegal use of drugs" means the use of drugs, the possession or distribution of which is unlawful under the Controlled Substances Act.

For section A) Ethanol deffinatly fits under the schedules, probabley around S.4 or so.

For section B) The posession and distribution of Ethanol is unlawful by a minor under the Controlled Substance Act. Therefore a minor drinking alcohol is making "Illegal use of drugs" and this it is an "illegal substance" for them.

Thank you for calling my statements 'moronic' though, I shall return the favour and call yours the same. You clearly havnt looked into the background of this case, had you done so you would see that in the circumstance, a very harsh sentance was foreseeable and i'd expect many judges would have done the same in the same circumstances.
Reply 24
I think its an utter shambles. To be fair, they only had enough to make them feel a bit mature and cool. There were 60 kids there, who all scattered. 12 were rounded up, 6 of whom had not touched a drop of alcohol, and 6 who were just shy of the legal driving limit. So that's what, not even a bottle of beer in the US? And I highly doubt that anyone completely trolleyed managed to run away and hide nicely to avoid being caught. Never.

It's a piss poor show to be honest, but you've got to laugh.
Reply 25
Reue
Therefore a minor drinking alcohol is making "Illegal use of drugs" and this it is an "illegal substance" for them.


Alcohol is not an illegal substance.

Reue

Thank you for calling my statements 'moronic' though, I shall return the favour and call yours the same. You clearly havnt looked into the background of this case, had you done so you would see that in the circumstance, a very harsh sentance was foreseeable and i'd expect many judges would have done the same in the same circumstances.


I read the article, actually. It implies that the judge did not take into consideration that the parents took steps to ensure there would be "designated drivers"; that there was a drink driving death during the case is irrelevant and should not have been taken into consideration with regard to the punishment. Furthermore, if an eight year sentence was reasonable, then why was it reduced to 27 months?
Reue
You dont think its a crime to openly lie to a minor's parents about providing them with an illegal substance? Because thats exactly what they did.


Wtf?
I never said that it wasn't a crime, I said that I don't think it should be a crime. This is a joke, these "minors" were perfectly capable of refusing to drink the alcohol, they didn't force them into it. They do have minds of their own you know.
I drank all the time whilst I was underage and I was always fine. You don't suddenly mature when you hit 18. If I organised a party and someone who was 16 asked for a drink, I'd give it to them no questions asked (except perhaps to make sure they have a plan to get home that doesn't involve them driving).
Reply 27
foxo
Alcohol is not an illegal substance.


My point was that it is to someone under 21 in america.
Reply 28
If I organised a party and someone who was 16 asked for a drink, I'd give it to them no questions asked (except perhaps to make sure they have a plan to get home that doesn't involve them driving).


Dude....you gotta be 17 to drive. I hope a 16 year old wouldn't drive home regardless of whether he/she was a tee-totaller or not...
nik87
Dude....you gotta be 17 to drive. I hope a 16 year old wouldn't drive home regardless of whether he/she was a tee-totaller or not...


A 16 year old can drive a car. Its illegal, but it can still be done. Afterall, what are the chances that you'll get stopped?
Reply 30
Fishfinger Sandwich
A 16 year old can drive a car. Its illegal, but it can still be done. Afterall, what are the chances that you'll get stopped?


What sort of point is that? A 5 year old can drive a car. Its illegal, but it can still be done *roll eyes*.
Reue
What sort of point is that? A 5 year old can drive a car. Its illegal, but it can still be done *roll eyes*.


Exactly, so why would I not check to make sure that no-one would be driving before i give them alcohol?
I would definately ask if a 16 year old would be driving before I gave them alcohol, its only sensible.
I knew as soon as I read the title that it would have happened in America. Their alcohol laws are so old-fashioned and draconian - there are still many counties in the US where it's illegal to sell alcohol!

You can buy a gun at 18 though, so that's ok.
Reply 33
What?!
You can buy a gun BEFORE you can drink?! You've gotta be kidding me, not even the USA can be that messed up. (no offence to any Americans on here).
It's obviously stupid. The parents were stupid, the judge was stupid. The sentence was stupid. Lying to the police was stupid.

They deserve to be punished, but imprisonment is unecessary and expensive.

How getting them to 'volunteer' a substantial sum of money, say $5000, to a Liver Cancer charity. Or AA.
Reply 35
Law states alcohol shouldn't be bought for minors. That's it, if we were going to sympathise with them, it would contradict everything; there wouldn't be a need for the law. They broke it, that's that.
Law states alcohol shouldn't be bought for minors. That's it, if we were going to sympathise with them, it would contradict everything; there wouldn't be a need for the law. They broke it, that's that.


No one is denying that; it doesn't change the fact that a custodial sentence is clearly ridiculous.
Reply 37
Now you see this is why there's overcrowding of prisons - all these overly harsh, unjustified sentences like these are given out. Yes, the parents were irresponsible, but really, 2 years? Is that really necessary?
Plus, what will happen to the child while their parents are in jail? Depriving a child of their parents is surely more serious than a moderate amount of alcohol being served in a controlled way at a 16 year olds party.

The system is so backward there. Yay, let's all have guns! OH MY GOD - ALCOHOL.
Reply 38
The sentence is ridiculous, but the point is that the parents broke the law! I know we're way more relaxed concerning alcohol in this country and I can't see how serving alcohol to minors is a huge problem, and clearly nor could the parents, but if it's against the law, it's against the law. If you think it's stupid, too bad, what they did was still illegal.
While I acknowledge that the actions of the parents appears against the law, the actual outcome of it is uttley ridiculous.

You have to look at who was hurt over the actions and what the consequences of the sentences are.

As it is, I feel much more harm is done by the sentence on taking away the parents of a young person who is still in High School. It has also affected the life of the older son, who dropped out of school over this - all unnecessary and causing more harm than the initial problem ever did.