Underage Drinking
Youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience:
- School problems – higher absence and poor grades.
- Death from alcohol poisoning.
- Legal problems.
- Physical problems, such as hangovers and illness.
- Unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity.
- Physical and sexual assault
- Higher risk for suicide and homicide.
- Alcohol-related car crashes, unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, and drowning.
- Memory problems.
- Abuse of other drugs.
The legal drinking age in Massachusetts is 21. It is against the law to serve or provide alcohol to underage guests or to allow them to drink alcohol in your home or on other property you control. The penalty is a fine up to $2,000, imprisonment for up to a year or both. If you provide alcohol to an underage youth and they are involved in a DUI accident, you could be held legally and financially responsible.
To learn more about underage drinking and teen alcohol abuse, check out these articles and resources:
Articles from the Falmouth Enterprise
- Teens and Alcohol Abuse: Although experimentation with alcohol is common among teens, it is not safe or legal...read more
- The Consequences of Underage Drinking: It's against the law for you to provide alcohol to anyone under age 21...read more
- Binge Drinking: A growing and dangerous problem for teenage girls...read more
- What Should I Do If My Child's Friend is Drinking or Using Drugs?: Encourage healthy relationships...read more
- On the Road in South Carolina: Underage drinking is significantly higher in Massachusetts...read more
Online Resources
- Underage Drinking: Access to the latest information about teenage drinking from the National Library of Medicine...connect
- The Cool Spot: Information for young teens about alcohol abuse from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism...connect
Parents Who Host lose The Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking is a public awareness campaign to provide parents with accurate information about the health risks of underage drinking and the legal consequences of providing alcohol to youth. The campaign encourages parents and the community to send a unified message that teen alcohol consumption is not acceptable. It is illegal, unsafe, and unhealthy for anyone under the age of 21 to drink alcohol.
The initiative takes place on state and local levels and concentrates on celebratory times for youth, such as homecoming parties, holidays, prom, and graduation and other times when underage drinking parties are prevalent.
The main program objectives are:
- Educate parents about the health and safety risks of serving alcohol to teens
- Increase parental awareness of and compliance with Massachusetts underage drinking laws.
- Change community norms related to social hosting.
For additional information you can read and download a PDF about the program: Parents Who Host Information Card
To speak with someone about the program contact the Program Director, Patricia Mitrokostas at 508-540-2317 or
Falmouth Prevention Partnership Gets Social!