Underage drinking
Sometime you have to wonder what is going on at the Capitol in Des Moines. Look at the following proposal on raising the stakes on underage drinking from a 100 dollar fine to a two year prison sentence and 5000$.
I think that the forbidden fruit theory says that this will only make teens drink more. It will be more dangerous, and therefore, more attractive. Just think of the effect this will have on a college campus like Iowa City. Almost all the college kids drink, they always have, and probably always will. I know I did, and I turned out just fine (well maybe not, I now make beer for a living!)
The best way to stop underage drinking would be to lower the drinking age, and require that 20 year old drinkers be responsible like the rest of us. When kids are drinking out in the open, there will be better ways to make sure that they stay in control. It amazes me how soon we forget the lessons of Prohibition!