graphic by ELIZABETH DOROKHINA
FAKE ID CULTURE
CONTINUES TO RUN RAMPANT AT WHITMAN Some names have been changed to protect students’ privacy.
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small group of Whitman students line up outside a crowded bar in Bethesda. One at a time, they make their way to the bouncer, ID in hand. The first student walks up and confidently displays her New York driver’s license. After a quick glance, the bouncer waves her in. Adrenaline rushes over the next student as he hands over his ID. The bouncer scans the card — which claims that the student is 21 and from Rhode Island — and then bends it to check the validity of the card’s material. After a brief pause, the bouncer hands back the ID and lets the student through. One after another, the group presents their miscellaneous assortments of driver’s licenses from around the country. And just like that, the group is in. For many teens, obtaining a fake ID is not only a convenience but a rite of passage. For decades, teenagers have used fake IDs to gain access to alcohol — a practice that continues today. Senior Nicholas purchased his fake ID during his sophomore year. The ID allowed him to avoid the hassle of buying alcohol through someone else, which saved him money, he said. “There’ve only been two times when someone has questioned if it was real,” he said. “After I assured them that it was, they just believed me.” The origin of fake ID culture is widely
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attributed to the mid 1980s, after the federal government increased the national drinking age from 18 to 21 in 1984. The new drinking age limited college students’ access to alcohol, So many students turned to fake IDs, which display false personal information in order to fabricate a legal age required for the purchase and consumption of alcohol. High school students soon followed in these college students’ footsteps. In the mid ‘80s, one study by The National Institutes of Health found that 74.1% of high school senior men and 65.4% of high school senior women drank alcohol within the last 30 days. Whitman alum and current Whitman father Adam Chase (‘92) recalls how students frequently broke the laws regarding alcohol during his high school years. “Although I don’t quite remember how they got the alcohol, it was definitely present at field and house parties,” he said. Some parents have seemingly promoted the purchase of fake IDs. Senior Jessica explains how her parents — not her peers — have encouraged this behavior. “My dad was the one who told me to get it,” Jessica said. “[He said] I can use it when I go visit my older brother at college.” Senior Matt experienced a similar reaction from his parents. “My mom knows, but not my dad,” Matt
said. “When she found out she smiled, was very sweet, and told me ‘I remember when I got my first fake ID when I was younger.’” Other parents, however, are concerned about the dangers that come with owning a fake ID, such as legal punishments and alcohol abuse. Senior Kelsie decided to keep her fake a secret, worried about her parents confiscating it. “They would definitely take it away from me and probably ground me for a long, long time,” Kelsie said. Whether by a simple Google search or connections through friends, it’s increasingly accessible for underage students to buy fake IDs, senior Alex said. A common method for purchasing a fake ID is buying in groups for a discounted rate. Students prefer to buy with friends because as the number of people in the order increases, the price decreases, Jessica said. “My friends and I got them all in the same order,” Jessica said. “I got two copies of my fake for $55.” Certain students facilitate the purchasing process itself. Junior Elliot acts as a “middle man” between students and suppliers. “I saw the business opportunity and I took it,” Elliot said. “I collected the information and photos from the students. We hooked up with a local dealer in D.C. who's getting them shipped
