Social host ordinance offers peace and quiet

Nora Leinen is right: “Cities and states should constantly look for ways to … curb binge drinking.” She makes the point that nothing done so far seems to be helping. But cities and states have other responsibilities, too, like maintaining quality of life for non-students and for non-binge-drinking students. And that is something social hosting ordinances are much more successful at.
I live next to the University of St. Thomas, and let me tell you, their binge drinkers put ours to shame: 100 students packed in a garage shouting “chug-chug-chug,” underage drinkers urinating in public, drunken students shouting “[Expletive] you!” at each other on the street at 3 a.m. St. Paul recently passed a social hosting ordinance, and I don’t know if it had any effect on consumption, but the neighborhood got quiet and stayed quiet. I’m in favor.
Chris Parker, University staff