Recently there has been talk of lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18. College presidents from about 100 of the nations best universities are calling on lawmakers to consider this issue. They say current laws encourage dangerous binge drinking on campus.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning of college-age people in 2005 was almost double what is was six years before. Most deaths occur on the weekends.
The Amethyst Initiative is supported by Westminster College President Michael Bassis. “Irresponsible drinking among young people – college-age and high school students, and even those who are younger – is a nationwide problem,” Bassis said. “Westminster vigorously upholds the drinking laws of the state, and the incidents of irresponsible drinking here are substantially lower than on most campuses across the country. I signed the Amethyst Initiative because I advocate exploring new ideas and new approaches about the best ways to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol. I did not sign to advocate changing the legal drinking age from 21 to 18.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) strongly oppose the initiative. They said that lowering the legal drinking age would result in more incidents of drunken driving.
In the end, both sides agree that alcohol abuse by college-age students is a huge problem.
What do you think?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths from alcohol poisoning of college-age people in 2005 was almost double what is was six years before. Most deaths occur on the weekends.
The Amethyst Initiative is supported by Westminster College President Michael Bassis. “Irresponsible drinking among young people – college-age and high school students, and even those who are younger – is a nationwide problem,” Bassis said. “Westminster vigorously upholds the drinking laws of the state, and the incidents of irresponsible drinking here are substantially lower than on most campuses across the country. I signed the Amethyst Initiative because I advocate exploring new ideas and new approaches about the best ways to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol. I did not sign to advocate changing the legal drinking age from 21 to 18.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) strongly oppose the initiative. They said that lowering the legal drinking age would result in more incidents of drunken driving.
In the end, both sides agree that alcohol abuse by college-age students is a huge problem.
What do you think?
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