COLUMBUS, Ohio — As prom and graduation season approaches, the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) and the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control (DOLC) are urging high school students and their parents to make safe, responsible, and legal decisions during their celebrations.
Understanding Ohio’s underage drinking laws is paramount for both parents and teens. Parents are advised against providing a “safe environment” for underage drinking, even with the consent of other parents. Convictions for selling or providing alcohol to a minor can result in a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine per offense.
Furthermore, individuals under 21 caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of at least .02% – a level achievable after one or two drinks – can be arrested. Such individuals could face a 90-day to two-year suspension of their driver’s license and four points added to their driving record. It’s important to note that having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle is illegal.
Carry-outs and drive-through establishments are encouraged to be vigilant for underage individuals attempting to purchase alcohol. The DOLC reminds permit holders and liquor agency stores of their obligation to refrain from selling to or serving anyone under 21.
“Liquor permit holders have a legal duty to ensure alcohol is not served to those under the legal drinking age,” said Paul Kulwinski, DOLC Interim Superintendent and Director of Licensing. “Serving alcohol to underage individuals not only risks their liquor permit and potential criminal charges but also endangers the underage individual’s safety and potentially their life.”
To prevent underage sales, liquor permit holders, agency stores, and their staff are advised to thoroughly check the identification of all young people attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages. Sales should be refused if a photo ID cannot be provided or if it’s unclear whether the ID belongs to the person presenting it.
OIU agents also recommend that limo companies review policies with their drivers to ensure they understand they could be charged with permitting underage consumption if alcohol is consumed by underage individuals in their vehicles.
“By working together, we can prevent the senseless tragedies associated with irresponsible and illegal underage alcohol consumption,” said OIU Senior Enforcement Commander Erik Lockhart.
Ohioans with information about a bar, store, or carry-out selling beer or liquor to individuals under 21, or about an underage house party, are urged to notify the Ohio Investigative Unit by calling #677 on their cell phone for investigation.