Journalism Project

David Castagno
Com 251

“One of the only realistic ways, I see, of changing the law [drinking age] is to break it and call attention to it, I mean dissent is, the highest form of patriotism,” says John Doe an anonymous Flagler College student who was caught by the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) for making and selling fake IDs to minors.

Fake IDs are very common on college campuses, from amateur, barely believable laminated ones, to professionally made IDs with a holographs and scanable barcodes, they are everywhere. Students around college campuses will tell you that the reason fake IDs are as common as they are, is because of the drinking age. Many like Doe, agree that the only way to address the situation is to bring to attention in the most blatant way possible, by breaking it.

But for others fake IDs are just a way to prove that you are not yet mature enough to drink. “If you are ready to drink, then why do you want and ID, that will just encourage you to go out, get belligerent, and make a fool of yourself, that doesn’t sound too mature in my book,” said Dina O’ Connor over a phone interview. O’ Connor a freshman at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA went on to state,” I’ve seen way to many people get in big trouble over fake IDs and I don’t want to end up like them.”
According to the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control COV 18.2-204.1. any persons who possess, use or distribute fake IDs can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor, which can result in a fine up to $2,500 and/or jail time up to 12months imprisonment. So why would someone risk it all? Money? Popularity? Ease?

Well according to Doe, “It was working for a while, I was paying my rent, but somewhere along the way, I guess, I just became too concerned about the money, and not who I was dealing with and how well I knew them, then I got caught.” Doe, unbeknownst to him, sold two fake IDs to a pair of undercover ATF agents who then acquired a warrant and told him to turn himself in. He did just that.

“Yeah sure I have a fake, most of the people I know do. But just because we have them doesn’t mean we use them every chance we get,” says Jane Doe another anonymous Flagler College student, “we actually use them very responsibly if anything.”
When approached and asked why she has a fake ID if she rarely uses it Jane stated, “the whole reason I got one, is because a majority of the people I hang out with are older than me and if I didn’t have one I would never be able to go out and socialize with them.” This fairly reasonable answer, is still against the law and could still find Jane some serious trouble, but many students and minors in particular are risking their futures so they can have some fun with friends.

Now not all minors may use their fake IDs the same, but one thing they do all have in common is a majority of those with fake IDs disagree with the drinking age of 21 and feel that it should be changed. But what do older members of the community feel, do they, like the young adults of today feel like the law should be changed?

Rosalie Stanford of Phoenix, AZ, who was a young girl during Prohibition, recalls the violence and high tensions of the Prohibition era, “Do I think that the drinking should be lowered to 18, maybe, if they can take a bullet for the U.S. then why can’t they take a shot.” This clever play on words describes Rosalie’s attitude towards the drinking age but when told about fake IDs Rosalie said, “if they can get a fake ID and purchase alcohol illegally, why not just lower the age and eliminate the middle man completely, take the crime away from the criminal and you are left with a failing illegal ID industry.”

After all is said and done, many believe that the reason the fake ID industry is so lucrative is because of need and necessity of the fake ID for minors. Many people propose that a lower drinking age could eliminate the fake ID industry and even help many in the struggling economy. But only the future will tell whether the lucrative business of fake IDs will prosper or die with the drinking age.

John Mahlow Bio