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LATEST LETTERS

College drinking

Thursday, May 10 at 10:48 AM

Emily Bloedel of Aurora writes:

As a college student, I am constantly made aware of the dangers of drinking. Despite alcohol abuse prevention programs, it seems to me the number of college age students that drink has remained fairly constant over the years. However, I do not see the trend of college students as binge drinkers amongst my peers. Granted, I know perhaps two individuals who binge drink, several who drink once or twice a week, and the rest who-like me-either rarely drink or not at all. So why is it, then, that we only hear of the typical college student as one who drinks and parties all the time?
This stereotype is just that — an overgeneralization used to portray a largely substance free demographic. As I have gotten older and heard more and more “Don’t drink” advertisements, I must say it irks me that we are not doing more to cut this problem off at the source: in our homes, high schools, and even middle schools. If students were made aware of the risks of alcohol at a younger age, research shows it is more likely they will not go on to have alcohol problems.
Our country has had great success with anti-tobacco campaigns including the “Truth” that teach adolescents the negative effects of tobacco use.
It is time for us to step up and recognize most alcohol problems begin earlier in life than college, and that we have the power to change this statistic for the better. It is time to show this nation that we care about alcohol abuse, recognize its detrimental affects on our children, and do something to stop it.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Starts with the parents....educate your children, don't depend on the government or anyone else to do it. And don't blame the school, cops, friends, when little Johnny drinks himself to death.

Posted by my name 2 on May 10, 2007 02:39 PM

How about we make alcohol not a reward for achieving the age of 21, and instead follow a more European model of moderation with meals, so that kids don't associate drinking with binge drinking and getting "wasted?"

If we would decriminalize it, and allow for parental responsibility, it is my opinion that kids wouldn't look at drinking as a freedom, but as something that some people do.

Posted by Dan2 on May 10, 2007 03:07 PM

When I was a teenager, my parents sat me down and talked to me about alcohol. What they said was basically this:

"If you want to drink, let us know. We'll go buy it for you. We'd rather have you getting drunk at home where we know you're safe. We don't want you to have to sneak around, get in trouble, and either drive drunk, or ride in the car of a drunk friend."

That one chat told me that (1) alcohol could be dangerous, but (2) it wasn't really that big a deal, and (3) they cared about me. I never took them up on the offer, and to this day, alcohol isn't a big deal to me. I have, on average, maybe one drink every other month -- if that.

For me, there was none of that lure of the forbidden. Maybe if more kids were offered access -- controlled, supervised access -- before getting out in the world, there wouldn't be so many binge drinking disasters at colleges.

Posted by Rob on May 10, 2007 09:36 PM