Illinois viewers can expect a wave of beer advertisements during this Sunday's Super Bowl game and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission isn't happy about that. Commission members are concerned about the message those ads will send to younger viewers, so they have launched a week of activities meant to call attention to the risk associated with underage drinking.

People under the age of 21 are not allowed to consume alcohol in this country because our society believes people have not attained the maturity needed to drink responsibly until they have reached that age. Many young people disagree with that view (and they may have a point, since 16-year-olds are responsible enough to drive and 18-year-olds are mature enough to go to war and to vote in elections), but they do not understand how much trouble they risk getting into if they defy our country's drinking laws and consume alcohol before they are of age.

To get that message across, Illinois officials are appealing to parents and asking for their help in fighting underage drinking, since most teenagers get alcohol from home or from an older friend or relative who purchases it on their behalf. Illinois Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon released a statement calling upon parents to discuss "openly and responsibly the dangers of underage drinking."

It is true that if a teenager drinks, he or she should be punished because, after all, a law has been broken. That being said, the punishment should fit the crime and sometimes, the punishment handed down to an underage drinker can seem far too strict. Some families choose to consult with attorneys after their children have been caught drinking before they are of age. In certain cases, these lawyers can provide valuable advice on how to make sure that the punishment a child faces is no more than commensurate with his or her mistake.

Source: The Springfield Journal-Register, "Illinois targets parents to fight underage drinking," Jan. 26, 2012