Community session spotlights perils of college drinking culture
Underage drinking on college campuses is a serious problem, and anyone interested in learning what can be done about it is invited to a screening and panel discussion featuring the powerful documentary, “Haze,” at the Annandale campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. The event takes place this Wednesday, May 26, 7-8:30 p.m., in NVCC’s Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center Forum, 8333 Little River Turnpike. Free parking is available in surface lot B.
The session, sponsored by the Fairfax County Police Department, Countywide Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking, and NVCC, will help parents and students prepare to handle the widespread drinking that goes in colleges – and other places where young people gather. Parents and students are encouraged to come to the screening together.
A panel of Fairfax County experts, including Police Chief Rohrer and representatives from the Inova Fairfax Hospital, office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, NVCC, George Mason University, MADD, and Virginia College Parents will answer questions and share first-hand knowledge. For more information, contact Lucy Caldwell, Fairfax County Police Department, 703/246-3271.
My 2 cents on 'underage' drinking, based on my life experiences. First off, I really think that the drinking age should be 18. It makes no sense that drinking alcohol should be virtually the only thing a person can't legally do between 18 and 21. Focus should be directed towards the areas which cause the problems – drinking and driving, binge drinking, etc. and areas that help fix those problems – stiff penalties for drunk drivers of all ages, alcohol awareness programs, etc. I recall getting carded and denied at the age of 20.8 trying to buy a bottle of wine in order to use it for cooking. I was also carded at the age of 40! Neither of those helps fix the true problems. There is no inherent problem with drinking alcohol in moderation at pretty much any age. If it is custom or if parents permit, their children should be able to have a glass of wine with dinner without the fear of prosecution. We try to teach kids to drive responsibly, use money responsibly, be responsible at school/home/work, be responsible in relationships. To do these things, we provide kids gradually with more practice, information or instruction (graduated licenses, monitored credit/debit card, bank accounts, etc). With alcohol, we seem to take the complete opposite approach, making it forbidden until 21 with a simple just say no message. It's no mystery to me why there is a drinking problem on campus (and off campus) these days.
My kids are not out of elementary school yet. But when they are at college at 18 and have a beer or two, I'll be ok with that. I won't if they have a six pack and go drive around. As a parent, I need to be able to teach moderation and the current laws and focus are making that close to impossible to do effectively.
Some European countries let people drink at 18 but have have a more restrictive age for driving. That seems like a good idea. I was always bothered by the fact that you can join the military – and possibly die for your country – at 18 but can't legally get a beer.
Recent evidence has shown that drinking cures all health problems