Twelve people were crushed to death during a stampede reportedly instigated by police at the Mexico City nightclub News Divine. The reason for the raid: checking for underage drinking and drug use. CNN’s report states that “About 150 nightclubs in Mexico City are believed to sell alcohol and drugs to minors, authorities said. One security specialist estimated there are many more.”

There’s no need for a “security specialist” to state this widely-known fact about Mexico City.

The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18, but it’s true that practically no club or bar pays attention to this, and, during my four years of high school there, it seemed to cause little to no problem among my peers at the time. In fact, it was one of the things that taught me responsibility. Not to mention that, since alcohol was so readily available, there was nothing special or “cool” about being drunk. We’d have a few drinks and take a taxi or metro ride home, or if a friend with a driver were there, the driver would make sure everyone got around safely. Underage drinking is more a “problem” in the U.S. than in Mexico.

No one at this News club (I’ve never been there) died from underage drinking or drug use that night. Instead, seven minors and three police officers were “fatally crushed or asphyxiated” in the raid that went wrong when police blocked the club’s exits and caused a stampede. Also, thirty women were asked to get naked to be photographed following the incident. What?!?! The proposed solution: “stricter laws and less corruption” in granting club permits. Maybe less police corruption?

This may be“Typical Mexico City” (see p. 297) in that it isn’t really — sadly — surprising or shocking. If I had a teenage kid, I’d rather he or she partake in underage drinking for a night than end up senselessly dead.