Party Could be Over For Teens in the O.C. | News | KTLA The CW

Party Could be Over For Teens in the O.C.

May 9, 2008, 2:34 PM PDT

Mission Viejo -- The party may be over for teens in the Orange County city of Mission Viejo. After numerous reports of raucus parties, underage drinking and property destruction in the quiet coastal community, city officials say enough is enough.

The City Council voted 5-0 to start work on a law making parents responsible for underage drinking. Proposed by Mayor Trish Kelley, the Social Host Underage Drinking Ordinance would hold adults accountable for teen drinking and could result in possible $1,000 fines.

If the ordinance is enacted, Mission Viejo would be the first in Orange County to do so. The law is already on the books in 24 California cities and four counties.

"It's a health and safety concern not only for teens but for the whole community," said Kelley, who has spoken to concerned parents and neighbors tired of the popular party houses. "The problem of underage drinking and drug use is on the rise and it does happen at these parties."

In Mammoth Lakes – a popular ski resort – the ordinance has been in effect for about a year. Frequent snowboarder and ski groups – many underage and from Orange County – party in their families' second homes or in rented condos. If any adults are found facilitating a location for minors, not only are they cited but also billed for any police and emergency response. Support in town was driven by the school district as well as Mono County's Drug and Alcohol Program.

In Ojai, Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Bruce Norris says the ordinance, established two years ago, has cut down on underage drinking and crimes associated with it. Fines of $1,000 have been recovered from 10 people in Ojai and 24 more people have been cited in Ventura County.

Since May 2007, Mission Viejo deputies have responded to reports of 1,325 loud parties. A good percentage of these have involved teens, said Sheriff's Lt. Steve Bernardi, chief of police services for the city. In 2007 there were 18 crashes where underage drivers were arrested for driving while intoxicated. Ten people were injured and in 11 cases juveniles told deputies they had been drinking at a party, a friend's house or at home.

Tips on the "hot weekend party" are often posted on networking sites like MySpace and others. News spreads by word of mouth and fliers, too

School officials acknowledge the problem and discipline students caught drinking or using drugs on campus and at school events. At Trabuco Hills High – one of the city's four high schools – students caught with alcohol are suspended for five days and face expulsion.

"I'm sure it happens at a lot of private homes with adults present," said Assistant Principal Paul LaBlanc. "That is something we cannot control. There are students out there who drink but it's out of the school's jurisdiction."

Nancy Leonard, a mother of a high school sophomore in Fullerton, calls teen drinking an epidemic.

Leonard says many of the parties her daughter has attended included alcohol. It's either provided by the parents, brought in by students or both. Even if parents don't supply alcohol, they look the other way when kids bring it in.

"Even though I call every parent who is hosting a party and receive assurances that alcohol will not be served, somehow alcohol shows up," she said. "Once, my daughter told me that she opened a cooler at a party and found it stocked with beer."

Many teens say it's more normal to drink than not.

"On the weekends it's more like, 'Whose house are we going to drink at?'" said Maria Hernandez, a junior at Mission Viejo High. "It usually happens at open parties where parents are gone. Mostly kids get alcohol from their homes or from kids with fake IDs. I don't think it's the parents' responsibility if they're on a business trip and the kid has a party. The kid knows the consequences of their action."

But John Meyers, also a junior at Mission Viejo High, supports the new law. He is a member of Santiago De Compostela Church's youth ministry Friday Night Live, which works to deter alcohol abuse.

He recounts an incident last year where a varsity track athlete got alcohol poisoning.

"It made me realize that just because someone is in varsity sports or honors classes doesn't mean they're not affected by alcohol," said Meyers, 17. "Teens accept alcohol because they think everyone does it. I believe adults have the authority to tell underage kids what is better for them and how they should make their choices."

Information from O.C. Register

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