>What would you have the punishment be if any? If I read between the lines I'm guessing you would do away with a drinking age?? I'm not setting you up here, really just wondering.

Something more reasonable like 16 or 18 would be a good start. But look at Europe and the problems they have with a virtually non-existent drinking age: next to none.

As for punishment, a fine isn't a bad idea for a minor consumption, but throwing them in the back of a cop car for a half of an hour, turning on the lights, calling for back up, and having the backup just sit in their car with the lights flashing as well (I swear I'm not making this up) seems a bit excessive don't you think?

In fact, I've seen this happen to a 25 year old friend standing on the sidewalk in front of his friends house with an open beer bottle.