SAFE GC Coalition: Parents Who Host Lose the Most

Gearing up for this year’s prom season students at Glen Cove High School received a presentation by the Glen Cove Police Department about the dangers of binge drinking and the parental liability facing parents when presented with the dilemma of social hosting.

According to the 2024 National survey on Drug Use and Health, underage drinking is a national problem. In terms of alcohol use and binge drinking in the past month, binge drinking for adolescent males was defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. Binge drinking for adolescent females was defined as drinking four or more drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. Heavy alcohol use was defined as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past 30 days. Survey findings are as follows:

• Binge Alcohol Use Among people aged 12 or older in 2023, 21.7 percent (or 61.4 million people) were binge drinkers in the past month.
• The percentage was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (28.7 percent or 9.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (22.7 percent or 50.6 million people)
• Among the 134.7 million current alcohol users aged 12 or older in 2023, 61.4 million people (or 45.6 percent) were past month binge drinkers
• Among past month binge drinkers, 16.4 million people were past month heavy drinkers. The 16.4 million heavy drinkers represent 26.7 percent of current binge drinkers and 12.2 percent of current alcohol users.

In 2006, the Coalition worked with the City of Glen Cove Mayor and City Council to adopt Nassau County's first “Social Host” Law, which makes it a violation for adults to permit alcohol use in their homes by persons under the age of 21. In 2007, the law was adopted county-wide. This law aims to prevent underage drinking and its associated risks by holding individuals accountable for providing alcohol to minors at social gatherings.

Key points about the Glen Cove Social Host Law:

• Prohibition: Adults are prohibited from allowing minors to consume alcohol on their property.
• Enforcement: Law enforcement can issue citations or make arrests for violations of the Social Host Law.
• Penalties: Violations can result in fines, and in some cases, imprisonment.
• Scope: The law applies to private residences and other private property where alcohol is consumed by minors.
• Purpose: The law aims to deter underage drinking and its associated risks.
• Recent Changes: In some cases, the law may be updated or amended to address issues like underage hosting.

According to SAFE, the best method of protecting against underage alcohol use and binge drinking is early prevention education and encouraging a goal to “Live SAFE” and substance free.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition was formed in 2003 to change societal norms about alcohol and substance use. The Coalition is concerned about excessive alcohol use in youth and adults and seeks to educate the community about its negative effects on one’s health and wellness. The Glen Cove Police Department has been a longstanding member of the Coalition and works diligently to monitor alcohol sales to minors and provide prevention education to youth and adults about Social Host Law and its consequences throughout the year. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about Alcohol and its negative consequences please visit SAFE’s Underage Drinking Awareness page at www.safeglencove.org.