Oregon Wine

Wine Country and Wineries






Copyright © 2016 Educational Research Associates Inc., a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization.   

Adult beverages: beer, wine and distilled spirits containing ethyl alcohol, may not be legally purchased or consumed anywhere in Oregon or the USA by persons who are not yet 21 years of age.

There are a very few exceptions in law, which you can see here, but briefly it requires parents serving their own children in their own home.

Some of the reasons for this go back to the enactment of the 18th amendment to the US Constitution and its repeal by the 21st. This was a time we call Prohibition, a failed social experiment we later shut down.

However there are still restrictions on who may legally purchase and consume adult beverages and what you may not do when "under the influence." Like drive a car.

Some of these restrictions carry very harsh penalties.

That is due to the high correlation of automobile accidents that injure or kill, where one driver has consumed adult beverages.

Because of that high correlation, our legal system is very tough on people who are cited for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) even when no accident is involved.

For those 21 and older, the legal limit is 0.8% blood alcohol behind the wheel. For those under 21 the limit is zero and penalties for DUI are if anything more harsh.

We cannot condone consumption of adult beverages by anyone under age 21.

However we are aware that some of our students will do so anyway, especially those who come from places where it is legal for them.

So here is our ask: If you are under 21 and decide to break our laws by consuming an adult beverage, do not under any circumstances drive an automobile for 12-24 hours, even if you've had "just one."

Have a designated driver who does not drink at all that day. Call a friend. Take a bus. Or a cab. Or Uber. Or Lyft. Or just walk. Do not drive impaired, please.

If you are over 21, and decide to sample the excellent beers and wines made in Oregon, please drink responsibly. Do not drink and drive.

Thank you for reading this to the end.