Shot In The Dark: Now I Feel Safer

May 18, 2005

Now I Feel Safer

You're not 21 until 8AM the morning after. The Senate say so!

The legislation to combat the so-called "power hour," between midnight and closing time on a person's 21st birthday, was included as part of a Senate bill making a number of changes to regulations governing the liquor sales.

"This issue is real; we have had a number of young people die from alcohol poisoning under these circumstances," said Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook.

"A number?"

Last year, 21-year-old Jason Reinhardt died of alcohol poisoning on his birthday after leaving a Moorhead bar with his fraternity brothers. His blood-alcohol content was 0.36 percent.

OK, one death is too many.

I'm sure this law will prevent people from bringing a bottle (21 shots worth) of liquor home for the ceremony.

Posted by Mitch at May 18, 2005 12:46 PM | TrackBack

Comments

No, first we have to ban drinking in bars.

Posted by: Eracus at May 18, 2005 02:27 PM

Another position we can agree on. Can't wait to hear stories about power hours happening in homes, at campgrounds, or anywhere but establishements where birthday drinking would be done under the watchful eyes of a bartender/server.

Posted by: Carson at May 18, 2005 04:34 PM

Drop the drinking age to sixteen, and raise the driving age to eighteen. More kids would have their first drink with their parents, with a chance to learn to drink like a responsible adult. Sixteen year-olds driving poses a much larger public danger.

Posted by: Will Allen at May 18, 2005 07:06 PM

Yeah, I'm with you on this one too; you can't legislate against stupidity, and drinking 21 shots in sixty minutes is phenomenally stupid. (Oh, and does anyone belive this guy had never drank until 12:00 on his 21st birthday?)

I don't think this law will hurt anything, but it's not gonna help anything, either.

Posted by: Jeff Fecke at May 18, 2005 10:21 PM

There is a great body of evidence that indicates we should not allow legislators to either drink or drive at any time or any age.

Posted by: MarkSC at May 19, 2005 12:24 AM

Posted by: den at October 30, 2006 04:27 PM