Community activists will hold a public forum tonight in Lemon Grove to highlight the dangers of underage drinking. Lemon Grove officials will be urged to update their social host law, which penalizes adults who host underage drinking parties.
San Diego's social host ordinance was successfully challenged in court in 2006. Since then, cities throughout the county have amended their social host laws. Lemon Grove is the last to hold out.
Joe Eberstein is with the East County Community Change Project. He says some parents think it's safe to have kids drinking at home under adult supervision. Eberstein disagrees.
"Underage kids shouldn't be drinking in the first place," Eberstein said. "And secondly, you're not going to be able to monitor 30 to 100 kids at a party anymore."
Surveys show about one in five San Diego high school students binge drinks. Eberstein says teen parties increase around graduation time.
