This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

SBY4C on the Social Host Ordinance Update

On December 4, 2013 members of South Bay Youth for Change once again attended the Imperial Beach City Council meeting to talk about the Social Host Ordinance during the first reading of the proposed update.  Members of South Bay Youth for Change at Mar Vista High School presented to council members over 350 signatures in support of the 2013 Social Host Ordinance and a majority of the signatures came from teens who feel that it is necessary to keep fellow students out of harm’s way.  We were all thrilled by the outcome of the meeting.  The mayor and council members unanimously endorsed the adoption of the new and improved Imperial Beach Social Host ordinance which addresses access of alcohol to underage guests at house parties. The new language is intended to provide law enforcement with everything they need in order to prosecute anyone in violation of the ordinance.  We are hopeful that residents and members of the council will adopt the revised law at this Wednesday’s city council meeting, to ensure that the youth and residents of Imperial Beach and San Diego County are kept safe from the alcohol related problems associated with underage drinking and house parties.  We invite you to attend the second reading of the proposed update to the Social Host Ordinance on December 18, 2013. Please join members of SBY4C as we await the outcome of the vote on this issue and support the adoption of the revised law.

 

Information from the San Diego Sheriff’s website spells out the problem:

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

State law prohibits minors under age 21 from purchasing, possessing or consuming alcohol, yet a report from the American Medical Association finds:

  • 2 out of 3 teens said it was easy to get alcohol
  • 1 in 3 said it was easy to get alcohol from their own consenting parents
  • 2 out of 5 said it was easy to get alcohol from a friend’s parents
  • 1 in 4 said they’d attended a party where youth under-21 were drinking in front of parents

More information: http://www.sdsheriff.net/social-host/

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

South Bay Youth for Change works in all south region communities to improve health, safety and well being of residents by reducing problems related to alcohol and drug abuse. 


We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?