Ville Platte Senator Eric LaFleur has filed a bill that would allow 19 and 20- year- olds to purchase alcohol by themselves, if they pass a drinking responsibility class and have their parents’ consent. LaFleur says binge drinking by young adults is a dangerous trend that’s made worse by laws that try, and often fail to bar young people from getting their hands on booze.
LaFleur says, "19 and 20 year olds currently drink right now whether it's in a public space or a private space."
The drinking age in most western countries is 18 to 19, and the Ville Platte Democrat says you don’t hear nearly as many stories about binge drinking sessions from those countries as you do from the U.S. He says kids are going to be kids no matter what the law says.
LaFleur says, "I don't know why we think our nineteen year olds are any different from the nineteen year olds from Canada or any other European country."
LaFleur says current law allows underage adults to consume alcohol, if they’re with a legal guardian. He says his bill is just an obvious extension of that same idea.
According to Lafleur, the bill is "an extension of existing law." He says, "It requires parental consent, but the parents can give them that consent without having to be there."
The Senator says his bill would be a good first step to changing a drinking culture that can destroy young people’s lives. It could receive a hearing next week.