I’ve written routinely about the inane ban on legal adults aged 18-20 from entering bars that offer live entertainment. Many cities across the state, including Statesboro and Athens, have simple systems for keeping 18-20 year olds from drinking: an X on each hand so that any drinking is obvious to bar staff.
Savannah used to have the same system, and it worked just fine. I’m not going to recap all the obvious arguments now, but here are two recent posts: More on Savannah’s inane ban of 18 to 20 year olds from live music venues and Square Fest a good sign for Savannah music scene, but teens need more such chances to engage.
And from Orlando Montoya at GPB today, Savannah Looks Again At Bar Rules:
The ban angered many in the city’s live music scene and pushed problems to other spots teens hang out.
City Council members passed the ban to curb underage drinking.
But police say, they’re still seeing disorderly conduct and drug and alcohol violations, only now at new “teen clubs” that escape many laws because they don’t serve alcohol.
City Council member Tony Thomas says, the problems simply have moved.
Montoya reports that city officials are “reconsidering” the ban. There is more at the link.
We’ll see if City Council is capable of a fair reconsideration of one of its worst policy moves of the last decade.