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College presidents from about 100 of the nation’s best-known universities, including Duke, Dartmouth and Ohio State, are calling on lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18, saying current laws encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.
The movement called the Amethyst Initiative began quietly recruiting presidents more than a year ago to provoke national debate about the drinking age.
“This is a law that is routinely evaded,” said John McCardell, ex-president of Middlebury College in Vermont, who started the organization. “It is a law that the people at whom it is directed believe is unjust and unfair and discriminatory.”
Other schools on board include Syracuse University, Morehouse College and Lake Forest College.
But before the presidents begin the public phase of their efforts, which may include publishing newspaper ads in the coming weeks, they are facing sharp criticism.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving says lowering the drinking age would lead to more fatal car crashes. It accuses the presidents of misrepresenting science and, in the words of MADD CEO Chuck Hurley, “waving the white flag.”
Both sides agree alcohol abuse by college students is a huge problem. Research has found that more than 40 percent of college students reported at least one symptom of alcohol abuse or dependence. One study estimated more than 500,000 full-time students at four-year colleges suffer injuries each year related in some way to drinking, and about 1,700 die in such accidents.
Moana Jagasia, a Duke University sophomore from Singapore, where the drinking age is 18, said reducing the age in the U.S. has merit.
“If the age is younger, you‘re getting exposed to it at a younger age, and you don’t freak out when you get to campus,” she said.
There are so many pros and cons to this issue that this case could go on forever. Many teens entering college have never been exposed to the amount of alcohol they see when they reach their campus. Along with the amount of alcohol, the absence of students’ parents give them an opportunity to do what “they want“. Unfortunately, many students abuse alcohol because they have never had the exposure to it before—therefore they don’t know when to stop and at what point they have reach their limit which leads them to drink to complete oblivion and at times, alcohol poisoning. Alcohol on college campuses is a serious problem, and although lowering the drinking age may help or worsen the situation, parents need to talk to their kids and know what is going on in their partying lives so they can teach them wrong from right—before they learn the hard way.
They‘re going to drink in college anyway. I’d rather have them enjoy a few beers on a Friday night in their dorm with some friends, then trek across town to a frat party and guzzle like there’s no tomorrow—just because it’s the only place they can grab a brew.
Lower the age and decrease the binges.
When I was 18....you could drink. I don’t ever recall having the car wrecks, DUI’s and so forth as we have now. Granted....we have more people than we did back then....cities have grown...etc. We have more cars on the highways now as well.
But my thing is...if we can ask an 18 to go to war...then how can we not allow him or her to have a drink? They can vote and go into the military....but they can’t have a beer with their buddies. I’m not advocating young age drinking by any means...but...this doesn’t seem to balanced to me.
Young adults are going to drink if they want to. The age of 21 isn’t stopping them. I’m not sure which age is best...but the voting, military service needs to be addressed along with it.
Why not pass a temp. law where it can be tried again...the 18 drinking age...and see how it pans out....
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.--Thomas Jefferson
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