Amethyst Initiative: Lowering the Drinking Age to 18?
Jamie Fisher
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: The Pulse
Now I am sure everyone has heard the talk around campus about the fact that President Gibralter is the only one president who refuses to sign the Amethyst Initiative, promoting discussion regarding the legal drinking age. Does anyone know why? I am here to set the record straight.
The Amethyst Initiative, started back in July of this year, includes chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges across the nation. According to www.amethystinitiative.org
"These higher education leaders have signed their names to a public statement that the problem of irresponsible drinking by young people continues despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, and there is a culture of dangerous binge drinking on many campuses."
This organization of sorts supports debate on the legal drinking age of 21, and is rethinking the law entirely. Presidents who have signed this initiative agree that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Why did 130 college presidents sign this?
The Amethyst Initiative website contains a "Why I Signed" section where a few presidents have left their thoughts on why they signed. "I support this initiative because it will allow our colleges to engage in real education of our students about responsible use of alcohol, as well as model moderate behavior. At present, we are constrained only to talk about abstinence, since anything else is against the law. Treating college students as adults will help them to make more responsible decisions," says David Oxtoby, the president of Pomona College.
President Gibralter is still standing by his stance to not sign the initiative and put his name among the 130 that have already done so. Why? Sara Moses, a writer for the Cumberland News-Times brings up many valid points in her article, "Local colleges not signing on to drinking age talks." She discusses the fact that Gibralter is already being active and taking steps to help combat the problems on Frostburg's campus dealing with drinking. All freshmen are required to take an alcohol education class, and the university is getting involved with local police. For more information on Sara Moses' article, go to http://www.times-news.com/archivesearch/local_story_239084930.html.
The Amethyst Initiative, started back in July of this year, includes chancellors and presidents of universities and colleges across the nation. According to www.amethystinitiative.org
"These higher education leaders have signed their names to a public statement that the problem of irresponsible drinking by young people continues despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, and there is a culture of dangerous binge drinking on many campuses."
This organization of sorts supports debate on the legal drinking age of 21, and is rethinking the law entirely. Presidents who have signed this initiative agree that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Why did 130 college presidents sign this?
The Amethyst Initiative website contains a "Why I Signed" section where a few presidents have left their thoughts on why they signed. "I support this initiative because it will allow our colleges to engage in real education of our students about responsible use of alcohol, as well as model moderate behavior. At present, we are constrained only to talk about abstinence, since anything else is against the law. Treating college students as adults will help them to make more responsible decisions," says David Oxtoby, the president of Pomona College.
President Gibralter is still standing by his stance to not sign the initiative and put his name among the 130 that have already done so. Why? Sara Moses, a writer for the Cumberland News-Times brings up many valid points in her article, "Local colleges not signing on to drinking age talks." She discusses the fact that Gibralter is already being active and taking steps to help combat the problems on Frostburg's campus dealing with drinking. All freshmen are required to take an alcohol education class, and the university is getting involved with local police. For more information on Sara Moses' article, go to http://www.times-news.com/archivesearch/local_story_239084930.html.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Alcohol Rehabilitation
posted 2/19/09 @ 10:14 PM EST
In my opinion, lowering the drinking age will only fill up the rows of those teenagers that end up in an alcohol rehabilitation center. If now they're drinking like crazy everywhere in campuses, while they know not all of them are 21 yet, imagine how it would be if government legalized alcohol for them. (Continued…)
alexhaffey
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posted 7/14/09 @ 9:50 AM EST
I against of this!!!
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posted 11/16/09 @ 9:28 AM EST
"These higher education leaders have signed their names to a public statement that the problem of irresponsible drinking by young people continues despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, and there is a culture of dangerous binge drinking on many campuses," totally agree with this words!
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