“Enough is enough” seems to be the general consensus amongst college officials regarding their problems with the dangerous combination of alcohol and students on campus. Binge drinking has become such a problem at colleges that Amethyst Initiative, a group of university presidents and chancellors, decided to make a public statement in order to debate the current drinking age law. These higher officials are hoping to spark the attention of politicians in their proposition to consider changing the nationwide drinking age to eighteen.
According to Amethyst Initiative’s official statement, adults under 21 years of age are allowed to vote, sign contracts, serve on juries, and enlist for the military, so it seems unfair that they cannot also drink. Some Neuqua Valley students agree with this argument. “If the [eighteen year olds] can go to war and be convicted as adults, they should be able to drink,” said Senior Krista Whitlock, “Besides, eighteen year olds can get access to alcohol anyways.” Senior Kaylie Ascher agreed, adding, “But their first drink should be under parental supervision so they won’t go crazy.”
“Going crazy” is the problem that began this public debate. University officials claim that many students are not exposed to alcohol until they go to college, and at that point, they dive into unhealthy habits, sometimes leading to binge drinking. If the drinking age is lowered to eighteen, they reason, the exposure in college will not be nearly as significant, because teenagers would get over the initial excitement of this new freedom before entering college.Some feel that lowering the drinking age is not the right method to fighting the large numbers of students getting into alcohol-related accidents. “I think it should be more enforced, but stay at 21 years,” Junior Dan Meaney said. “It doesn’t do anything if it isn’t enforced.” Despite the disagreements this controversial debate has caused, the dangers of binge drinking are undeniable.
According to a report at CareMark.com, every year 1,700 college students die from alcohol-related injuries, including binge drinking, and 4,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. “In order to battle binge drinking, there should be more enforcement on college campuses, and maybe an ad campaign to reveal the effects of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning, said Officer Paul Elliot, “Enforcement in fraternities and sororities would also make a difference.” Some argue that three years does not make a particular difference in the impact of underage drinkers, but Elliot said, “Since some people start drinking before the legal age, it could lead to more high school students experimenting with alcohol and draw more cases of high school students affected by alcohol poisoning.” This perspective on the issue is a common one.
According to MADD.org, MADD’s new national president Laura Dean-Mooney said, “Lowering the drinking age passes this big problem to those in the high school community already dealing with very serious underage drinking issues. ”Others claim that though making alcohol available to eighteen year-olds is risky, these students already have many responsibilities as legal adults, and this would simply be another one. However, organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving have also voiced strong opinions against this proposed law change. According to MothersAgainstDrunkDriving.org, The National Highway Safety administration estimated that the 21 years drinking law reduced traffic fatalities involving drivers between 18 and 20 years old by 13 percent and in 2006, an estimated 890 lives were saved by this law.
While it is a highly controversial debate, a nationwide insurance survey released on August 18, 2008 stated that 72% of adults think lowering the drinking age will make alcohol more accessible to kids and binge drinking would become a bigger problem. More than half of Americans also say they are less likely to vote for a state representative who supports lowering the drinking age. So, it seems for the time being, the current 21 years drinking age law is here to stay.
By Negin Mashaiee, Echo opinions editor
