Category: Underage Drinking Problems

What is Choose Responsibility? Choose Responsibility is a nonprofit organization. It promotes public awareness of the dangers of  reckless alcohol consumption by adults age 18-20. It does this through a program of research, publication, education, and related activities. The organization seeks to stimulate informed public discussion about alcohol in American culture.  It promotes policies that […]

Our society uses many techniques in efforts to reduce underage alcohol abuse. A few are effective, but most are not. And there’s no silver bullet. Therefore, we must continue examining additional possibilities. Here are some creative ways to try to reduce underage alcohol abuse. I. “Card” Youth on Their 21st Birthday A most dangerous practice […]

Do young people with parental alcohol problems have different drinking patterns than those without parental alcohol problems? The Study Research in Denmark studied this question. It used data from the Danish National Youth Study. This was a national survey of 75,025 high school and vocational school students. They were 15-25 years old. These were the […]

Effects of Parental Supply of Alcohol Children whose parents serve them alcohol are more likely to drink full servings by age 15 or 16. However, they are much less likely to have over four or drinks on an occasion. (This is sometimes called binge drinking.) In addition, they generally have fewer drinks per occasion. In […]

Alcohol Amnesty Alcohol medical emergency amnesty policies at colleges and universities are to save lives. They give a higher priority to protecting students’ safety and lives than to enforcing alcohol rules. Hundreds of colleges and universities have medical alcohol emergency amnesty policies. Clemson University implemented such a policy after a major tragedy. The existence of an […]

Alcohol Enforcement is Important Alcohol is part of the University experience. Frat parties, bar hopping and tailgating before football games are just as collegiate as classes and exams. Then there’s alcohol enforcement. Yet it caught most everyone by surprise when [University of] Virginia’s new Alcohol Beverage Control [ABC] officer stationed in Charlottesville started bringing down […]

Alcohol and parenting is a controversial subject. What’s the best thing for parents to do? What can they legally do? The subject of alcohol and parenting is surrounded by conflicting beliefs and opinions. And also by a high degree of emotion. Fortunately, research provides useful answers. This can guide us as parents. I. Some Important […]

Lower the Legal Drinking Age Interview with Dr. Ruth Engs The minimum drinking age continues to stir controvers. However, the minimum legal drinking age should be lowered says expert Dr. Ruth Engs. She’s Professor Emeritus of Applied Health Sciences at Indiana University in Bloomington. Dr. Engs is interviewed by David J. Hanson. Hanson– Dr. Engs, […]

Some Assumptions Debate over the legal drinking age continues. It’s largely between scientific findings and ideological beliefs. Underlying current minimum age laws are the assumptions of American prohibitionism. Drinking alcohol is dangerous and undesirable. Consuming any amount  of alcohol is equally undesirable. Moderate social drinking is the forerunner of chronic inebriation. Drinking typically results in problem […]

What is College Alcohol Amnesty? College alcohol amnesty policies for students are becoming wide-spread. These Good Samaritan policies are designed to protect the health and lives of students who over-consume alcohol. If they need medical help, speed is important. College alcohol amnesty assures people that they won’t be disciplined for obtaining that help. Nor will […]