The prevalence of binge drinking on college campuses has been the subject of nationwide studies in an attempt to find ways to address the risks and consequences of drinking too much alcohol. With constant reports of date rape, assaults, drunk driving and even death the problems with heavy drinking are too many to go unnoticed. Yet the solution is not as easy as it seems. Aside from controlling the amount of alcohol consumption, one of the biggest issues is preventing students under the age of 21 from having access to alcohol, though they are constantly surrounded by it in social settings.
Why 21 Is The “Legal” Drinking Age
The United States adopted minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) laws in 1987, after several states lowered their MLDA to 18 in the 1970’s and saw an increase in fatalities caused by young people. In an effort to prevent more injuries and deaths, the federal government passed legislation that required states to adopt the MLDA of 21 or risk losing federal funding for roads and highways. The “legal” age for drinking alcohol has not changed since 1987, as states began to report a significant decrease in the number of fatal crashes by adolescent drivers under the age of 21.1
Groups against maintaining the legal drinking age of 21 argue while there has been a decrease in motor vehicle crashes by young people under the age of 21, there has also been an increase in accidents and fatalities among drunk drivers between the ages of 21-24. Their findings indicate perhaps the minimum age should be raised even higher. While there are some people who believe there should not be a minimum age at all, leaving the responsibility on parents to teach children about the dangers and risks of alcohol.
This highlights the problem with underage drinking among college students, who enter college under the legal drinking age, yet are surrounded by juniors and seniors in their peer group who are old enough to drink. The very nature of the crossover of age groups on the college campus make for an interesting environment for teenagers who are not usually mature enough to overcome peer pressure.
The Real Reasons Underage College Students Don’t Say No To Alcohol
Reason #1: Everyone Else Is Doing It
Although not all college students drink, the latest studies published by the NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) show that 80% (4 out of 5) of college students have had at least one drink. The same study shows that 50% (1/2) of students who drink drink more than 2-3 drinks in a short period of time, which is considered binge drinking.2 The influence of social and sporting events on college campuses, house parties and nearby night clubs put students under the age of 21 under social pressures that are hard to resist. In fact the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study reports almost half (48%) of all alcohol use by college students is among students age 20 or younger.
Reason #2: They Were Already Drinking Before College
Take a look at these underage drinking stats:
- Almost 5000 kids under the age of 16 drink at least one drink – Every, single day
- Alcohol is the most abused drug among kids 20 and younger (more than cigarettes and marijuana combined)
- 13: the average age kids ages 12 to 17 have their first drink
- 13.8%. The percentage of 8th grader students who reported having at least one drink in the past 30 days
Add to these facts that some parents allow their children to drink in their home even though it is illegal, and we see why as the NIAAA reports, 18- to 20-year-old drinkers showed the largest increase (56%) in binge-drinking episodes among youth and young adults.
Reason #3: There Is No One There To Stop Them
Of the few studies published about alcohol policies on college campuses, we found that about 50% of colleges take a proactive approach to enforcing alcohol policies. The NCBI Pub Med reports that many campuses increase enforcement at college sporting events, but don’t have as much policing at fraternity/sorority events. The study also published that 13% of the 351 colleges studied had none or few alcohol policies/practices.(3)
Another study, College Law Enforcement and Security Department Responses to Alcohol-Related Incidents, surveyed the school administration from 343 U.S. colleges and universities to determine the effectiveness of school alcohol policies. This study revealed that even for serious or underage drinking violations, 1 in 3 of the colleges reported consistently issuing criminal charges or a citation to the drinker. Yet, at more than 50% of the colleges, campus police refer students involved in alcohol-related incidents to school officials for discipline rather than taking legal action, even though underage drinking is a criminal office.(4)
These reasons help us see that the task of managing the use of alcohol on college campuses can’t only reside with college administration. It will take the help of the students themselves, their parents, faculty, local law enforcement and even managers of the stores and establishments that sell/serve alcohol in the college’s community. Although this task is a difficult one, it can’t be ignored. What do you think can be done to help reduce the number of accidents, injuries, deaths and assaults caused by too much drinking alcohol on college campuses?
– Also read: Tips For Winning A DOL Hearing After A DUI Arrest.
Sources
- Alcohol Fact Sheets, CDI
- NIAAA: Understanding the Impact of Alcohol on Human Health and Well-being
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med: Alcohol policies and practices among four-year colleges in the United States: prevalence and patterns
- College Law Enforcement and Security Department Responses to Alcohol-Related Incidents: A National Study. Alcoholism