New Jersey needs to enact beer keg tracking laws

Beer keg parties may seem like a rite of passage for many young adults, but the fact is kegs contribute to high-risk underage drinking that could result in tragedy.

Because kegs enable one adult over the age of 21 to purchase and supply alcohol to dozens of young people, they are often associated with heavy drinking that can lead to accidents and even death by alcohol poisoning. Keg tracking is one way to help reduce the high risks of underage drinking associated with beer kegs.

The first beer keg tracking program began in response to a young person's alcohol-related drowning in Massachusetts 10 years ago. Since then, many state and numerous local jurisdictions have enacted keg tracking laws, which hold adults legally responsible for supplying beer kegs to underage youth. However, New Jersey has yet to enact any type of beer keg tracking laws.

If you'd like to help reduce underage drinking in our community and in New Jersey, please join me. Contact Barbara Sprechman, director of community services at (732) 663-1800, ext. 211 to see how you can help support keg tracking laws to help prevent underage drinking and its tragic consequences.

Mary Pat Angelini

executive director

Prevention First

Ocean Township