College drinking getting worse: Should schools do more?
June 23, 2009 by Geneva ReidPosted in: Special Report, Student Life
Drinking among college students is old news. What’s new is the frightening increase in alcohol-related deaths.
In 1998, 1,440 college students died from drinking-related deaths. That number rose to 1,825 in 2005, according to a report from the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Here are some more numbers:
- Binge drinking (five or more alcoholic drinks on a given occasion) rose from 42% to 45%
- Students who have gotten behind the wheel of a car while drunk rose from 26% to 29%
- An estimated 700,000 students are assaulted annually by college students who’ve been drinking
- College drinking also accounts for 100,000 sexual assaults.
How has this problem gotten so out of hand? Well, this may be another one we can blame on the media.
According to an official at Yale’s Prevention Research Center, heavy drinking frequently is given “favorable treatment” in the media – not to mention student’s peer groups. And that adds up to a society that’s sending mixed messages about the dangers of alcohol.
So far, measures that seem to be working for some colleges are:
- Counseling for high-risk drinkers
- Raising the price of alcoholic beverages
- Having colleges tackle the problem along with community health departments and police.
Why do you think the problem of heavy drinking among college students is getting worse? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Tags: alcohol abuse, college drinking, U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
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June 25th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Drinking is legal and drug abuse carries a legal penalty that will affect a student’s future. Students want to escape and have fun and drinking provides this easily. With drug use there is always the concern or fear of possibly getting caught.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Denominators??
My immediate reaction to stories like this is to ask “compared to what?”. That is, how much of the increase is explained by an increase in the number of college students, and also how does this compare to other causes of death?
In this example, providing the context actually makes the story more dramatic. According to the Statistical Abstract of the United States (one of the most under-used resources in the country), the population of college students increased from 14 million to 17 million over this time period, which explains only about half the increase in deaths. Also, most of this increase was in older students and part-time students; the number of recent high school graduates in college stayed about the same.
If all the deaths were all in ‘traditional’ college students, and comparing to the general mortality rate of 80 per 100,000 per year in this age group, it would be on the order of 1/3 of all deaths. Under other assumptions the proportion would be lower, but still fairly impressive. Even with the likely overcounting of alcohol-related deaths it suggests some concern is appropriate.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
At issue is the rise in use of “hard” alcohol vs. beer and wine. “Handle” parties (large quantities of hard liquor are referred to as handles) have increased dramatically in recent years due to ( in my opinion…I have 3 in college and one recently graduated) both greater advertising directed at younger generations and easier access (concealment from authorities)….not to mention a quicker buzz experience. Though it may sound counter intuitive I believe relaxing the drinking age to 18 for beer and wine (and no central source… read: no Kegs) will have a positive effect of driving more dangerous “spirit parties” off college campuses. This is where the most damage is done.
Demystifying the effects of alcohol and educating young adults on the proper use of alcohol in society should be part of the college experience. Consider it a 3 year alcohol “learners permit”. Experience is a great teacher.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
One part of the issue is that parents are enabling this behavior in some cases. We had a student whose mother provided the bus for the student and his friends to bar-hop on his 21st birthday. Her rationale was that at least he wouldn’t be driving. But it ultimately sends the message that the behavior is acceptable.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Why is heavy drinking and the negative behavior associated with that substance abuse becoming an increasing problem?
Contemporary American culture has taught our young people that they are “the center of the universe”, to be indulged, to be catered to, and that they as consumers have the final say in nearly everything. These young people have failed to learn personal responsibility and that they are in fact responsible and accountable for their behaviors and actions.
The college experience is a time of maturation, and mistakes will be made, and hopefully lessons are learned. However it seems that this current student generation has become accustom to life-long parental “bail outs” and now has no sense of personal responsibility. There are no consequences to irresponsibility because there never have been.
The failure is as much with the parents as with the students themselves. Had the parents instilled a sense of personal accountability for ones actions, set clear limits, emphasized responsibility to community and respect for others above selfishness, we may not have the current abhorrent behavior. Too many today (adults included) have the “its all about me” attitude which leads to this irresponsible and dangerous attitude and behavior.
Of course that is a generalization; there are many good, responsible, serious students who suffer from the bad reputations of their peers. All students are not the same.
Party responsibly!
June 25th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
The problem is a direct result of raising the drinking age, cracking down on underage drinking, and the imposition of a neo-prohibition mentality on college campuses in regard to both soft drugs and alcohol.
The effects we see on college campuses today are precisely what we saw in the larger culture during Prohibition, and the solution is the same: legalization. When students between 18-21 have no need to engage in furtive underground drinking, it is possible for students to negotiate a world that includes alcohol in public social settings and to drink — or not — in a more responsible fashion.
The status quo prevents that from happening. To pretend otherwise is to value the counterproductive certainties of neo-prohibitionism more highly than an empirically grounded model of harm reduction and productive social bounding.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
The main issue with college drinking is the fact that it is illegal for those entering college. Drinking will take place no matter what rules are in place. What the students drink does not matter at all either.
The drinking age being 21 leads to binge drinking. Students go in with the mentality of “Wow! Alcohol! I don’t know when I’ll get this again so I’ll have to make the most of it!” This leads to giant parties with the students’ only goal of seeing how much they can possibly consume.
If the drinking age were lowered to 18, this would make things much simpler. There are those who will get in the habit of binge drinking in high school, but for the large majority, being able to get alcohol whenever they want will break the idea that it is the forbidden fruit. Most college deans agree that the drinking age should be lowered. Why have an insane party when you can go to the campus pub and get something? Lowering the drinking age would make the numbers drop drastically.
As for why it is on the rise now, limits are being tested. There was a student at PSU who blew a .6 on a breathalyzer and lived. People are always wanting to see if they can do more.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I’m not saying this is the source of the rising statistics, but how much of this is because schools are actually going after underage drinkers instead of just letting things be?
June 25th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I’m a freshman hall director and I was astounded by the amount of underage drinking that happened in my building despite alcohol free alternatives provided on campus and in our building regularly. Our Judicial affairs department is excellent, but I can’t help but feel like we should be doing more. I am thinking of proposing a community service element to underage drinkers as part of their disciplinary referrals.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
The only real problem is that kids never really learn good drinking behavior. Since we outlaw consumption until they are well into college and/or outside their parents’ homes their only model is each other. That model is skewed to those who have gotten used to the idea that, since drinking is illegal, when it is available, drink as much as possible to get plastered.
If, on the other hand, we legalize drinking at 16 then kids can learn moderate drinking habits from their parents while still living with them at home. Additionally, drinking is no longer taboo so it is no longer necessary to smuggle and consume large quantities at parties cutting down on the binge drinking mentality as well.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
The underage drinking issue is on target. Having spent time in Britain, I’m acutely aware of the ease with which most British youngsters handle alcohol. That the drinking age in the UK is 18 – as it was here in many states in the past – explains the difference in attitudes and behaviors. Binge drinking is much more likely to occur when students are prohibited from having a drink with meal or a few drinks for entertainment and leisure. The drug “war’ with all its counter-productive results and the ignorant, if well meaning, regulation of tobacco sales, and, indeed, the history of prohibitions of all kinds, should stand as lessons that would explain these statistics. But still we puzzle over human nature and the incentives created by efforts to mandate.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
A lot of problem dringking is really self medication for mental health problems, combined with problems with impulse control. fix the underlying problems and the drinking problem would be halved.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
The problem is that the students are not being taught how
to use alcohol responsibly. The reason they are not being
taught this is exactly because it is illegal. If it were legal, then
faculty members would be able to attend and act as chaperons
at campus parties. Faculty members could, by example
demonstrate the appropriate use of alcohol.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
As a 2009 college graduate I can definitely say that the drinking age is to blame for the “binge” drinking problem at universities. I am 22 now, but growing up in a culture where drinking is considered a privledge, it is natural for students to want to drink as soon as they gain acces. As for the abuse aspect, I blame that on the hypocritical stance colleges take on drinking. On one hand professors and administraors hold each student accountable for all of their actions. College students are seen as old enough and responsible enough to handle living alone, part-time jobs, and being a full-time student. Yet, students are not considered responsible enough to enjoy a beer with their pizza. It’s hypocritical and insulting. It’s no question students act out, they are being treated like children and they oppose it by (stupidly) drinking out of control. Schools don’t need to do more to prevent alcoholism, they need to do less.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I think there have been some interesting posts . I agree with the issue of the stats themselves. I also agree with the parents enabling, to a certain extent. Mostly, I agree with the drinking age issue. They buy handles because that is the best they can do. When someone else will buy for you, wouldn’t you go for the most you could get? I also agree with the drinking age reduction as a solution to the problem. It is more difficult to die of alcohol poisoning from beer alone than from hard liquor. If they had access to beer, they wouldn’t break the law to get anything, they’d just buy the beer. I certainly drank my share of alcohol in college but we always drank beer because it was readily available, legally. I have seen two children through college and have another yet to attend. I worry about alcohol poisoning and I personally believe that if the drinking age were lowered, young adults might learn how to drink responsibly and it wouldn’t be the salute to freedom that it is in college — the first time away from parental controls.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I definitely think that teaching respopnsible drinking habits at a younger age is the key. I agree that lowering the drinking age to 16 or even 18 might help, but we need to start educating students well before that. Because of bureaucracy I think most American high schools would pan an alcohol education program outside a couple days spent on the dangers of alcohol in a health class because administrators are convinced it will serve to encourage drinking. This is precisely the opposite of what education is meant to do in this country with regard to personal behaviors and civic engagement. We need to stop being naive, stop being so intellectually conservative and start teaching responsible behaviors early.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
The problem is that we have made alcohol forbidden fruit. The elementary and high school’s are teaching that alcohol is bad and it is never acceptable, while the acceptance of alcohol consumption in society is proving to the kids that the schools don’t know what they are talking about. We are in many ways still suffering from our conservative religious foundlings. Since they can’t have alcohol, they want it all the more.
They then move on to college, where alcohol is far easier to obtain, it’s still illegal for many which makes it more fun and they don’t know when the next time they will get it. Typically they have had not education on how to consume alcohol in moderation. There only supervision comes from their peers not from parents or guardians.
This is a recipe for abuse.
What’s the solution:
Legalize much younger. 16 would still allow a year and half of parent supervision.
Change the message in the elementary and high schools to “use alcohol responsibly” and “be accountable for your actions”. That might be a lot of change for our school systems to accomplish, if they can’t change the message, at least eliminate the message they are giving today.
Teach people what situations are potentially hazardous and the wisdom of avoiding them.
Hold people of all ages and professions accountable for their actions while under the influence of alcohol.
June 25th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
There are colleges that have policies in place with published claims of being a “dry campus” meaning no drinking permitted on campus or in dorms and that any breech of the policy will result in dismissal from the institution, police involvement or some other disciplinary action. Such a policy is probably not unique to only a few colleges. In my experience with one such college, despite the published policies, students drank and drank and drank–even the underage underclassmen. In my opinion, it’s just a matter of time that a student loses his or her life due to alcohol poisoning and the parents sue with the justification that the college did not take the appropriate policy enforcement measures. If the colleges are going to look the other way and just throw up their hands, then they had better take down their published policies against drinking. Otherwise they need to step up to the plate and take real and functional measures to enforce their policies such as using adult college employees instead of students for such jobs as monitoring dorm activity, lights out activity, quiet hours, and social activities (like drinking). It would be the employee’s explicit reponsibility to report policy infractions and the disciplinary actions should be taken promptly. With all of this said it sure would also help if parents raised their children to be mature, responsible, caring, LAW ABIDING good cititzens of this country and not the self-indulgent brats with entitlement mentality so many are raised to be. Good parenting would not cure everything but it would go a long way toward helping.
June 25th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
i think drinking should be legalized at age 14. teach kids to drink responsibly and out in the open.
people from age 14 to 25 should be able to buy the equivalent of 4 drinks maximum on any given day. no kegs. no 12 packs. require the use of a drinking id card that gets swiped to indicate it has been used for that day.
i am a college professor and the drinking levels of some students is absurd–beyond many of the worst alcoholics. and they don’t get that their drinking leads them to engage in sexual harassment, to be sexually assaulted, and to dangerous behavior (eg smashing their head against a wall repeatedly)–”they’re responsible” “oh, that’s no big deal–that’s nothing compared to . . .”
i’ve studied this quite a bit–i’m no expert–but the bottom line is you can do education, prevention, etc. and it isn’t going to work because the booze flows in college towns/areas.
June 26th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
A simple plan:
To moderate alcohol abuse we in higher education need to eradicate the culture that promotes excess consumption. Here’s how:
1. Abolish fraternities and sororities
2. Ban intercollegiate athletics
3. Schedule classes on Fridays (and take attendance)
June 27th, 2009 at 2:01 am
[...] Considering the rise in binge drinking — and alcohol-related deaths — among college students, is this campaign going far enough to solve the problem? (To see the full story on the latest stats, click here.) [...]
June 29th, 2009 at 8:07 am
As a college student myself, I’ll say that I notice that a lot of my friends’ drinking really calms down once we turn 21. Now that my social group is 21+, we often just go out to dinner together and grab a beer or two; I have no reason to drink shitty vodka or PBR now that I can go out and get exactly what I like.
I agree with what a lot of people have said about the drinking age. My college (MIT) is very intense and stressful, and most students come from a high-school background where they were perfect little angels, following every rule and getting straight-A’s in order to make the top tier schools. But once here, away from helicopter parents, they just want to relax and alcohol is the quickest, easiest, and most rebellious way to do that. Just like most college students smoke marijuana, most college students drink; the only ones I know who abstain are those who are allergic or don’t like the taste. Very few (much less than their parents believe) abstain for personal or religious reasons.
June 29th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Very thoughtful responses to an issue that seems to never go away. Here’s my two cents: I think the economy has everything to do with it as well. Why spend $20 to go to a movie for 2 hours when you could get a case of beer and have an entire night of fun for $20.
June 30th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
How does that rate compare to countries in Europe? The US is way higher I would bet. Yet, the drinking age is lower or non existant in many European countries. I have lived in Europe in England, Greece, Spain, Germany and Holland. Drinking is part of the culture. Here is is a way to prove you are an adult and that you can get away with something you are forbiden to do.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Having graduated from college in 1968, my college experience was far from tame. The world was in tumult; class mates were being drafted to serve in a war that was controversial at best, and the economy was not that exciting. Drinking was common, and drunkeness was not uncommon. Yet, my recollection is that these behaviors were pretty reserved to the weekends.
A possible hypothesis for the latter is that most of us did not have time during the week to drink. As best I can tell, comparatively little is required of many of today’students. The reading lists are short; laboratory experiences are often minimal, and writing requirements are frequently reserved to end of term papers for which “re-writes” are not part of the experience. Too much free time can lead to trouble- Jim Blackburn