Our Opinion: Aspects of the recently revised laws regarding alcohol consumption are too strict.

Effective Dec. 1 at midnight, underaged alcohol consumption offenses will go on a person’s legal record as a criminal offense, rather than as a misdemeanor like in years past.

Although the rules are intended to have the citizens’ best interests at heart, this is too much.

When consumed irresponsibly, alcohol is dangerous — and deadly. It impairs judgment and can lead to horrible things.

Just one month ago, the lives of two students were taken following a head-on collision with a drunken driver near Sanford, N.C.

Because of irresponsible alcohol use and bad decision-making, those students’ families are grieving during this holiday season.

But if an underaged person consumes alcohol responsibly and is charged by authorities, in no way is that deserving of the label “criminal offense.”

Let this be crystal clear — in no way are we condoning underaged alcohol consumption.

But we think the revised legislation that has the ability to ruin a person’s life for making a decision while so young is harsh.

The punishment simply does not fit the crime.

Misdemeanors are a strong enough tactic to teach a young adult a lesson, but a criminal offense has the intention of negatively affecting his or her professional life for years to come.

In this context, consuming one beer at a party in this state is put on the same level as domestic violence, strangulation, use of a firearm by a felon and indecent liberties with a student.

A teacher’s taking advantage of a student is by no means morally equivalent to a person younger than 21’s act of consuming an alcoholic beverage. Therefore, it shouldn’t be legally equivalent.

In fact, the penalty for underaged alcohol consumption is worse than the penalty for peeping — a sexually charged offense in some cases — which is a misdemeanor.

If anything needs altering, it is the equity among crime. Legislation regarding underaged alcohol consumption is too harsh when compared with other legal violations on that level.

Nobody is perfect. People make mistakes in their younger years. Both twin daughters of President Bush had charges of underaged drinking brought against them in 2001. Does that make put them in the same class as a physically abusive spouse?

We don’t think so.