Information from the County Attorney's Office
By Steven J. Franzen, Campbell County Attorney
Sometimes I become concerned that with all the discussion and focus in Campbell County on our very serious heroin epidemic that we may lose focus on other problems that continue to plague our community such as underage drinking. No doubt the heroin issue is foremost on the mind of our collective law enforcement resources; nevertheless, underage drinking remains a serious problem in our community and should not be overlooked or given a back seat, lest our children receive the wrong message.
With High School graduations and summer fast approaching, I believe this is a good time to inform our citizens of the law regarding underage drinking. As everyone knows, under Kentucky law, it is illegal for those under the age of 21 to purchase and consume alcohol. However, there are additional laws that everyone should be aware of.
Specifically, as most parents know, it is illegal for anyone, even parents, to give or aid a person under the age of 21 in the purchase or consumption of alcohol. Under state and local law, it is a criminal offense punishable by fine of $250 for a first offense and up to a year in jail and/or $500 fine for a second offense. Locally, in Fort Thomas for example, it is an offense for a person in control of any real estate to allow anyone under the age of 21 to remain on their property while in possession of alcohol. A similar ordinance can be found in the Campbell County Code of Ordinances.
Throughout Kentucky, underage drinking is a serious problem. In Campbell County for 2013, there were dozens of minors under the age of 18 charged with DUI. Moreover, over 45 additional minors under the age of 18 were charged with alcohol and drug related crimes resulting in juvenile court appearances in Campbell County last year. 57 other juveniles were referred to the Court Designated Workers Office and countless others were referred to other state sponsored programs. In addition to the potential criminal liability that the child or the parents could face, the parents may also face civil liability to others for the acts committed by their child. If you do not think alcohol, when abused, can be a dangerous drug, I invite you to spend a day with me in our local district courtrooms.
Even with this knowledge, I know it's tempting to allow a child to consume alcohol under certain circumstances, such as high school graduation, but the risk of injury or death to the, child, other students or citizens is not worth it. In addition, the County Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute any violations of law or local ordinances concerning this problem that are brought to our attention.
I hope this information is interesting and helpful. If you have any topics you would like to have covered in this column, please contact my office by e-mail at campbellcoatty@gmail.com, by phone at 491-7700 or by regular mail addressed to 319 York Street, Newport, Kentucky 41071