Page 7 - November December Issue
P. 7
Elite Investigative Journal
Colleges Enable Campus Culture of Binge Drinking, pg 7-10
©2014-2015 Press Enter Resolve, LLC
Photo Courtesy of substance.com
Colleges Enable Campus
Culture of Binge Drinking
By Peter Vajda, PH.D
To date, 134 college presidents and chancellors have the money.
signed the Amethyst Initiative, calling for renewed
debate about whether binge drinking on campuses The alcohol industry, which advertises heavily to
will lessen if the drinking age is lowered from 21 college students, should be seen as complicit in its
to 18. Why would college CEOs want to lower the urging of college oficials to lower the drinking age.
drinking age? How would such an idiotic move Alcohol advertising is pervasive in college events,
support a healthy college environment and improve especially sports. Many colleges are suffering
a student’s higher education experience? The short inancially. What better source of income than to accept
answer is it wouldn’t. alcohol advertising dollars with the quid pro quo that
colleges will argue for a lowering of the drinking age.
In fact, most of these college leaders agree with reams
of research pointing to alcohol as a major ingredient The time has come to sever the tie between colleges and
in college and off-campus reports of student abuse, drinking. Schools must consider voluntary guidelines
violence, sexual assaults, date rape and car accidents. that say: No alcohol advertising on the premises of an
In choosing to lower the drinking age to 18, college intercollegiate athletics event. No bringing alcohol to
oficials would simply become “enablers” -- the site of an event. No turning a blind eye to underage
supporting students to move deeper into their alcohol drinking at tailgate parties and on campus. No alcohol
addiction. What’s really at play here? It is Economics, sponsorship of intercollegiate sporting events. Let’s ask
In short, selling out to gain a buck! For example, these concerned college presidents and chancellors to
University of Georgia President Michael Adams make us a promise to ban all alcohol-related advertising
didn’t sign the Amethyst Initiative. and promotions from all college campus and off-
campus related events and prohibit alcohol advertising
Yet, in his role as chair of the NCAA executive on all local college sports programming, including
committee, Adams ignored and rejected the plea televised college sports programs in which their
of more than 100 college presidents, athletic institutions engage. Then let’s see how passionate they
directors and the National Center on Addiction and are about revisiting the debate over the drinking age.
Substance Abuse to ban beer advertising from college
broadcasts. You can’t have it both ways. Follow the
7
Colleges Enable Campus Culture of Binge Drinking, pg 7-10
©2014-2015 Press Enter Resolve, LLC
Photo Courtesy of substance.com
Colleges Enable Campus
Culture of Binge Drinking
By Peter Vajda, PH.D
To date, 134 college presidents and chancellors have the money.
signed the Amethyst Initiative, calling for renewed
debate about whether binge drinking on campuses The alcohol industry, which advertises heavily to
will lessen if the drinking age is lowered from 21 college students, should be seen as complicit in its
to 18. Why would college CEOs want to lower the urging of college oficials to lower the drinking age.
drinking age? How would such an idiotic move Alcohol advertising is pervasive in college events,
support a healthy college environment and improve especially sports. Many colleges are suffering
a student’s higher education experience? The short inancially. What better source of income than to accept
answer is it wouldn’t. alcohol advertising dollars with the quid pro quo that
colleges will argue for a lowering of the drinking age.
In fact, most of these college leaders agree with reams
of research pointing to alcohol as a major ingredient The time has come to sever the tie between colleges and
in college and off-campus reports of student abuse, drinking. Schools must consider voluntary guidelines
violence, sexual assaults, date rape and car accidents. that say: No alcohol advertising on the premises of an
In choosing to lower the drinking age to 18, college intercollegiate athletics event. No bringing alcohol to
oficials would simply become “enablers” -- the site of an event. No turning a blind eye to underage
supporting students to move deeper into their alcohol drinking at tailgate parties and on campus. No alcohol
addiction. What’s really at play here? It is Economics, sponsorship of intercollegiate sporting events. Let’s ask
In short, selling out to gain a buck! For example, these concerned college presidents and chancellors to
University of Georgia President Michael Adams make us a promise to ban all alcohol-related advertising
didn’t sign the Amethyst Initiative. and promotions from all college campus and off-
campus related events and prohibit alcohol advertising
Yet, in his role as chair of the NCAA executive on all local college sports programming, including
committee, Adams ignored and rejected the plea televised college sports programs in which their
of more than 100 college presidents, athletic institutions engage. Then let’s see how passionate they
directors and the National Center on Addiction and are about revisiting the debate over the drinking age.
Substance Abuse to ban beer advertising from college
broadcasts. You can’t have it both ways. Follow the
7
