Will There Be Alcohol?

Chris Massad

Alcohol is a timeless problem that plagues college campuses nationwide. Many people don’t realize how destructive alcohol can be on students who drink. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism conducted a study that “reveals that drinking by college students age 18-24 contributes to an estimated 1,400 student deaths, 500,000 injuries, and 70,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape each year.” The same study also reveals that more than twenty-five percent of the students in above age range have driven under the influence in the past year One can easily see that what was once known as a harmless rite of passage, is now a dangerous form of social acceptance.

The problem with students and their view of drinking is that they see it as part of the college of experience. For example, when a tragic accident occurs, such as a death, due to alcohol, students see it as just that. They perceive it simply as a tragic accident and not a teachable moment. Alcohol is part of the college experience, but isn’t college for learning? Lessons can be learned from any unfortunate event.

George W. Dowdall, author of “College Drinking: Reframing a Social Problem,” states that “It’s difficult for many of us to look at alcohol realistically. After all, it’s not a controlled substance, is it?” Alcohol is a dangerous substance and many college students don't think of it as such. Dowdall went on to say,"I asked my own students to rank-order in terms of potential harm some widely used illicit substances along with alcohol and tobacco. Most put the last two 'legal' substances toward the end of the list, even though experts rank them significantly higher." Colleges should look into reaching students by making past accidents real. Instead of trying to monitor alcohol consumption, they should take the tragedies that have unfortunately happened and use them to teach students who attend college to learn. Alcohol is not a toy, and students should know that when played with, it's not fun.