Apparently, a lot of teenagers drink, and that's a fact of life with which parents have to come to terms. But it doesn't mean we roll over and do nothing about it.
Keeping kids on the straight and narrow pathway to adulthood is a daunting task, and it helps when society steps up to the plate with policies and legislation that make the job a bit easier.
The provincial government has taken a small step to help keep kids from drinking alcohol.
Fines of $575 will be given to people who give alcohol to minors.
That includes "bootleggers" - people who buy alcohol for kids from the liquor store - and servers at bars and restaurants.
Anyone who buys alcohol for a minor he or she doesn't know deserves at least a $575 fine. A night in the drunk tank might be more fitting.
How can you possibly know that that kid - who probably doesn't know the first thing about controlling his or her liquor intake - won't get behind the wheel of a car and endanger himself or herself, friends or others on the road?
In Burnaby, like virtually every other community, we have had our share of alcohol-related deaths over the years, often underaged youths gone too early because they were drinking and driving.
Licensees who operate businesses where liquor is being served can be fined from $7,500 to $10,000, or they could be handed a 10-to 15-day suspension for serving alcohol to minors. But now servers who don't ask for identification can also be fined individually.
The fact is, waiters and waitresses who serve alcohol to minors are just being lazy, as it only takes a few seconds to check someone's documents.
No one should be making it easier for youth to access alcohol.
