No Crime for Underage Drinking in DC

We first reported the story on Nine News Now on Wednesday; but a couple of comments are needed here; DC Police, Council members and Nightclub owners all confirmed to this reporter what the DC area's young people have known for years--There is no criminal law in the Nation's Capitol that prohibits underage consumption of alcohol.

It's not that City leaders haven't considered a bill. DC Councilman Jim Graham told me by phone on Wednesday that "We had a task force to study this and I'm torn. There was simply no public support for this". Graham says public officials, including some Council members raising children, did not want young people who are caught drinking to be slapped with a criminal record, even if it could be expunged at a later date.

It turns out says Graham that only the nightclub owners were adamant about the need for criminal penalty. "It starts in the home...parents are letting their kids drink', he says.

Mark Barnes, owner of the popular "The Love" night spot was adamant. He says city leaders have placed the entire burden of stopping young people's illegal drinking on the bar owner. "If we sell them alcohol we can lose our license", says Barnes.

He turned over a case of fake ID's on the bar of his "The Park" night club to demonstrate for me the incredible high number of young people who try to slip into his clubs to buy drinks.

One of my young co-workers had this comment on underage drinking in DC,"It's the worst kept secret, every college kid knows there is no risk to drinking in DC".