Compliance checks or stings for underage alcohol sales are very popular. But to be legal, they must be done without entrapment. Basically, entrapment is inducing people to commit a crime they are not “predisposed” to commit. Nor would they ordinarily commit. The Department of Justice stresses that “Entrapment is a complete defense to a criminal …
Here is a list of what appear to be grassroots groups against underage drinking. In fact, all of these groups were formed and supported by the temperance-oriented Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They’re part of its nation-wide program to influence alcohol policy. And to do it at both the state and federal levels. Pennsylvanians Against Underage …
Most alcohol abuse education is ineffective. It’s sometimes even counter-productive. Often young people begin drinking to defy authority. It’s important that we effectively teach young people about the dangers of alcohol abuse. We must also prepare them to drink safely. That is, if they choose to drink when they’re of legal drinking age. Harm reduction …
Klonopin, a prescription drug, has become an alternative to drinking alcohol by many young people. That’s according to police. So Klonopin is a drug substituted for alcohol by underage people. Unintended Consequence With increasing crackdowns on the availability of alcohol to youth, they increasingly turn to alternatives. Although readily available, Klonopin can be very dangerous. …
Entrapment is illegal because it is an attempt to induce law-abiding people into in crimes. That is, crimes they would not otherwise have done. It tricks and deceives the innocent into breaking the law. For that reason, it’s a federal crime. In the words of the U.S. Supreme Court, entrapment “deserves the severest condemnation.” So …
Are alcohol ads and underage drinking related? Can preventing alcohol ads on TV reduce underage drinking? Simple solutions to complex issues are always temping. But news reports can mislead if they don’t accurately report research findings. Misleading Reporting In reporting the findings of a study1on the subject, the New York Times failed to report accurately. …
Are early puberty and early drinking age related? Researchers wanted to know the answer. To do so, they studied 1,117 young people. They found that early onset of puberty predicts both early drinking and intoxication. And it does so among both males and females. It also predicts smoking, drug use, and both sex and unprotected …
Much research focuses on early age of first drink. Researchers usually call this early onset of drinking. (They ignore age at first intoxication.) Many report that age at first drink is linked with later drinking problems. But no one knows why this is true. There are two obvious possibilities. One is that early onset of …
Is there a link between alcohol policies and adolescent drinking behaviors? For example, do strict policies reduce heavy drinking? What about so-called “binge” drinking? Research Study Researchers wanted to know. So they studied the matter among 15- and 16-year old youth in 40 European and North American countries. Data on drinking were from two sources. One …
The American Medical Association (AMA) formed the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AOD). Alcohol Abstinence The AMA first passed a resolution supporting abstinence from alcohol even before National Prohibition began in 1920. It continues to support it to this day. Moderate alcohol consumption is linked with better health and longer life. That’s in …
