05/27/2026
Celebrating a graduation this summer? Before hosting, it is important to understand your responsibilities under Massachusetts social host law.
Graduation parties should be memorable for the right reasons. If alcohol is served, hosts can face serious legal and financial consequences when guests are injured, injure others, or drive drunk and cause harm. The risks can be even greater when underage drinking is involved.
Under Massachusetts law, a social host is anyone (adult or minor) who is in control of the premises and who furnishes alcohol or allows it to be consumed on the premises. This law also does not differentiate for age. Should you leave for the weekend and your child who is under 21 decides to have a party at your house with alcohol, regardless of whether they purchased the alcohol or not, if they are allowing underage drinking to take place in the house they have control over, they can be charged criminally with furnishing alcohol to minors even though they themselves are under 21.
Under Massachusetts’ Law, a person under 21 years of age who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for someone experiencing alcohol-related incapacitation shall not be charged or prosecuted.