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What is Social Host?

Social host refers to adults who host parties where alcohol is served on property they control. Through social host liability laws, adults can be held responsible for these parties if underage people are served, regardless of who furnishes the alcohol. Teen parties are a primary setting for underage drinking for high school and college students and high consumption of alcohol and binge drinking.

Underage drinking is not just a youth problem.

It is also very much an adult problem. With adults who purchase alcohol for those under age 21; look the other way when teens talk about their drinking exploits; and host teenage drinking parties in their homes, many communities struggle to prevent underage drinking.

Holding adults responsible for underage drinking parties is a pro-active step for concerned communities but can be difficult. Law enforcement officials are typically not able to determine who provided the alcohol when they arrive on the scene of a teenage drinking party. Therefore, laws that prohibit furnishing alcohol to youth under 21 years old can be hard to enforce.

Social host ordinances give communities a practical tool for holding adults accountable. These laws allow law enforcement to cite the individual who hosted the underage drinking party on their property. More than 150 cities or counties and 24 states have adopted social host ordinances.

Take Action!

KSP LogoSocial Host is a tool to give Law Enforcement to better enforce the MDAL. However there are other Benefits of Educating Communities About Social Host

  • Deterring adults and youth under age 21 from hosting parties where underage drinking is occurring
  • Increasing the awareness of underage drinking parties and providing an incentive for hosts to be vigilant for underage consumption of alcohol
  • http://www.madd.org/getfile/9c32676a-dd74-456a-a440-75aba4cbe0fa/Social-Host-Manuscript-by-PIRE-Updated.aspx Encouraging parents to take steps to prevent teenage drinking parties while they are away
  • Holding underage youth partially accountable for underage drinking parties planned without the knowledge of their parents
  • Recovering the costs for law enforcement of repeatedly responding to the same party site

To more actively prevent underage drinking and help save more lives, MADD encourages you to become familiar with social host ordinances to prevent underage drinking. Learn more about Social Host at http://www.madd.org/Parents/Parents/Programs/View-Program.aspx?program=20

What is Social Host Power Point, click here to download the PowerPoint

States with this law:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine

States without this law:

California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Vermont, District of Columbia, Delaware

Social Host Ordinances

Social Host Urban Government Model Ordinance

Social Host Boyle County Ordinance

Social Host Bardstown Ordinance

Social Host Breckinridge County Ordinance

Social Host Clinton County Ordinance

Social Host Clinton County Ordinance -rtf

Social Host Daviess County Ordinance

Social Host Hancock County Ordinance

Social Host Harrodsburg Ordinance

Social Host Lexington-Fayette Social Host Ordinance

Fayette County- Social Host Prom Season tearsheet Spring 2010

Social Host Marion County Ordinance

Social Host Meade County Ordinance

Social Host Mercer County Ordinance

Social Host Monroe County Ordinance

Social Host Nelson County Ordinance

Social Host Ohio County Ordinance

Social Host Oldham County Ordinance

Social Host Washington County Ordinance

Winchester- Clark County Joint Social Host Ordinance