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A debate is raging about underage drinking on college campuses, about binge drinking by college students and what colleges should do about it. Some college presidents are questioning whether the legal drinking age (LDA) of 21 should be lowered.
135 college presidents ask the question
The presidents of 135 colleges across the country have signed a public statement calling on elected officials to "support an informed and dispassionate public debate over the effects of the 21 year-old drinking age." The statement, as detailed on The Amethyst Initiative website, reflects their belief that it is time to rethink the drinking age, that 21 as a LDA is not working, and that an unintended consequence of the 21 LDA is dangerous binge drinking.
The statement also asks "How many times must we relearn the lessons of prohibition?" and invites new ideas about the best ways to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol. (Read the complete statement: http://www.amethystinitiative.org/statement/)
The presidents of a number of DC-area colleges are signatories, including Virginia Tech, Johns Hopkins, Hampden-Sydney, Hollins, University of Maryland-College Park, Randolph Macon, Towson, Washington and Lee and Goucher. The list includes schools of various sizes and states such as Ohio State, Duke, Mount Holyoke, Dartmouth and Kenyon, for example.
Unintended consequences of 21 LDA: binge drinking is on the rise
The Amethyst Initiative signatories state that in the 24 years since Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act a culture of "dangerous, clandestine 'binge-drinking'--often conducted off-campus--has developed" and that abstinence as the only legal option has not resulted in significant behavioral change among students.
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported last week that binge drinking among college students is continuing to rise. Research by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) indicates that the proportion of college students aged 18 to 24 who engage in binge drinking increased from 41.7% in 1998 to 44.7% in 2005. Binge drinking was defined as having 5 or more drinks on an occasion in the previous 30 days.
What is the answer?
Feelings run strong on both sides of the LDA question (take a look.) Mothers Against Drunk Driving has created a "Why 21" website to support the 21 drinking age. Choose Responsibility was founded in 2006 by Middlebury College President Emeritus John McCardell, Jr. who wrote The Effects of the 21 Year-Old Drinking Age: A White Paper, which ultimately led to the Amethyst Initiative movement. The Amethyst Initiative was launched in July, 2008.
One of the preeminent experts on college drinking behaviors and trends is Dr. Henry Wechsler of Harvard's School of Public Health. He was the principal investigator of the School's College Alcohol Study which tracked college drinking trends in the '90's. In a recent interview with ScienceWatch.com, he said, "Better town-gown cooperation is needed. Colleges can not do it alone." He urges college towns and cities to regulate the alcohol environment that surrounds most colleges by limiting new alcohol licenses, curbing low-price specials and "happy hours," and putting in place comprehensive policies and regulations that are enforced will help to reduce the harms created by binge drinking.
For more information:
Underage drinking by college students and the law
College drinking: what parents need to know
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