Underage Drinking: Success Stories

Underage drinking is a serious problem in Indiana, costing the State approximately $860 million a year. In Indiana, much of the underage drinking occurs at parties where kegs are present. In an effort to counter this problem, the Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (ICRUD) educated the legislature about the need for keg tracking as a way to restrict youth access to alcohol by holding adults accountable for supplying alcohol to them.

ICRUD is a statewide coalition comprised of members including the Indiana Point of Youth (POY), students from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ninth through twelfth grade advocates), and other individuals and organizations (local law enforcement agencies, mental health organizations, state colleges and universities, and others). Together, this coalition educates the public and policymakers about Indiana’s underage drinking problems and about proven strategies that reduce youth access to alcohol.

Mobilization efforts for keg tracking began at the grassroots level and moved upward. Tammy Loew, Alcohol Risk Reduction Coordinator at Purdue University Student Wellness Office and Dee Owens, Director of the Alcohol/Drug Information Center at Indiana University, encouraged and helped organize student’s law enforcement, prevention professionals, health care experts, and community leaders to testify on behalf of keg registration. Strong authorship from Senator Beverly Gard and Representative Charlie Brown provided legislative language that requires keg purchasers to provide retailers with a valid State driver’s license and a complete home address. Legislation also requires kegs to be tagged with identification numbers. With slight opposition, the bill passed the House unanimously. Governor O’Bannon signed the keg tracking bill into Indiana law on March 20, 2002. After passage, the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission collaborated with ICRUD and other agencies to develop the administrative rules.

Keg tracking is an easy means to keep track of keg purchases. At the time of purchase, retailers record the keg identification number and contact information for the purchaser. If a keg is found at a party, it can be easily identified and associated with the purchaser. Adults who illegally provide alcohol to minors are more likely to stop this behavior when there are known consequences. Retailers also benefit from keg-tracking legislation because it gives them documentation to confirm legal sales transactions.

“Passage of this bill represents a true partnership among students, universities, concerned citizens and law enforcement,” says Loew. “It also represents our combined commitment to address underage drinking.”