As prom and party season rapidly approaches, it is important to be aware of the social host laws that are in place on Long Island.
Your children are undoubtedly testing the waters of acceptable teenage behavior as they transition from childhood to adulthood. With drinking and recreational drug use on the rise across the nation, it is inevitable that our teens will be faced with difficult decision making and overwhelming peer pressure when it comes to experimenting with illegal substances. This will only get worse as they leave the protective umbrella of your home and Saint Anthony’s, and make their way to college.
With the best of intentions, you may be tempted to allow your child and their friends to partake in alcohol in your home, where you consider it to be a safe and supervised environment. The argument of “If they are going to try it anyway, I’d rather they do so in my house where I can keep an eye on things” may seem like a good alternative to teens experimenting on their own, but you put yourselves in serious legal and financial jeopardy by violating the social host laws of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Just last month, lawmakers in Nassau County came together to add the consumption of opioids and other controlled substances to the existing social host law (http://ow.ly/b35y30j2hzK). As you may know, “juuling” has become extremely popular with young people. Not only can they inhale flavored nicotine in these devices, but liquid marijuana (THC) as well. Since it is difficult to determine what exactly is in the cartridges, it is best to ban them from your home altogether. Please view this excellent brief video from CNN on the vaping problem in high schools. (http://ow.ly/WU1330joK6L)
Before allowing your children to engage in any illegal behavior on your property, think about the message that it sends. To other parents – who may not be aware exactly what their student is doing in your home. To your child – who will observe that by allowing students to engage in illegal activity in your home, you are ultimately supporting it. To your community – think of the worst case scenario of a student who gets into a car to drive home, or be driven home by another student who has been drinking or is under the influence of an illegal substance.
Finally – a word to students. It is unfair to place your parents in the position of having to even question their decision to entertain your friends in their home. You should not badger them into thinking that underage drinking is “not a big deal” and that “everybody does it.” Not every parent supports this behavior, and not every student engages in this behavior. Your parents are the ones who will ultimately bear the public embarrassment with legal and financial ramifications if they break the social host law and police are called to your home. Respect your parents enough not to participate in this behavior in your house or someone else’s.
While these are all difficult scenarios to be confronted with during what is supposed to be a carefree and joyous time in a young person’s life, it is unfortunately the reality of being the parent of teenagers in today’s world. I leave you with wise words from my own parents that I have never forgotten. I am sure that I will always remember their advice and put it into practice as I raise my own family: Being a popular parent for one night, can make you a sorry parent for a lifetime.
Wishing all of our beloved Friar families a safe and enjoyable Prom and party season.
Nassau County Social Host Law
Suffolk County Social Host Law
