This is a response to “Alcohol policy not effective for Tech” (CT, March 25). Several points were brought up and I believe there is another side that should be presented for the education of all readers and the voice of those who disagree.
First of all, both underage drinking and sex between unmarried partners is illegal and potentially harmful, but do you honestly feel you can compare the two? Have you also considered that underage drinking is a Class 1 misdemeanor, while your example of sex between unmarried partners is only a Class 4 and very outdated? In regards to sexual behaviors and their consequences, the deaths caused by them range around 20,000 each year.
I would be very interested in how many of these deaths resulted from something other than the actual act of sex — perhaps from contracting STDs or AIDS, assault and rape, or if drug/alcohol use were involved. In contrast, there are about 85,000 deaths caused each year by alcohol, and one in 25 deaths worldwide.
I think it is a viable argument that underage drinking is a policy that is enforced because of the resulting dangers and irresponsibility of those who choose to drink underage, drink and drive or put themselves or others at risk in the process. This policy is meant to protect students, not hinder or hurt them, and I believe this is evident.
Next, most officials do not believe that drinking is a misuse or abuse of alcohol. Why do you think our state law considers above a 0.08 to be intoxication?
If you are of age and responsible enough, then you won’t have a problem. However, if you are underage and drinking, which is common, then it is considered irresponsible because it is an illegal activity.
The author of the article also stated that heart disease is the number one killer in the U.S. and regular consumption of alcohol should be a part of a healthy lifestyle.
Does anyone know what follows closely behind heart disease? The answer would be alcohol related deaths. If we enjoy on average 13.2 drinks a week here at Virginia Tech as the previous author stated, then this clearly doesn’t show the likelihood of someone consuming six drinks one day and seven the next.
Binge drinking can play into this average, and to pass it off as if 13.2 drinks a week is healthy is an uneducated conclusion. Barely anyone consumes just two drinks per day, but it is very likely someone consumes 13.2 in the span of two to three days.
Consider other studies, other than the one stated previously in the first column, and you will find that two drinks per day increases your chance of pancreatic cancer. The “two drinks per day are good for you” idea is not proven, only a consideration as of now.
In response to kegs at Oak Lane, I would say that suggesting Oak Lane should allow kegs because that is the greenest thing to do is a mockery of a green initiative. The opportunity to binge drink is much higher with a keg, and thus the opportunity for deaths and injuries increases from this as well. So this is not a green opportunity, it is an opportunity to increase alcohol incidents.
The new policy about informing parents about alcohol policy violations does not impact violators but so much. Telling your parents is a right that the school has, and it is a right that is further enacted by a student’s lack of responsibility to drink in moderation or not drink until they are of age.
Most parents are told because with alcohol penalties come education sanctions. These sanctions are charged to your tuition as a fee that most (not all, of course) parents end up paying for and therefore end up having to discuss with their children anyway.
This change is not a huge one, but the point of it is that if you are that irresponsible then your parents deserve to know. I am sure that if we become parents and our children get in trouble for drinking or are thrown in jail and by some odd chance we don’t find out, we would like the right to be notified.
Overall, most students choose to inform their parents anyway — I would venture to guess about 90 percent.
On the next note of lowering the drinking age, I believe that is a separate issue from anything else discussed in the article. There will still be irresponsible 18-year-olds, just as there are irresponsible 21-year-olds — who are of age and still get penalized. Therefore, just because you lower it doesn’t mean alcohol violations will cease to be given. However, like I said, that is a completely separate issue up for debate everywhere in our country.
In response to the alcohol classes Tech provides, what is the alternative? Instead of criticizing what is offered and leaving it at that, come up with an idea yourself.
The students of this school can at any point discuss this issue and start to come up with ideas of their own that could actually help people that have issues with alcohol.
Yes, alcoholics exist, so before you put down a program that tries to help people learn from their mistakes, why don’t you come up with an idea that could benefit students more?
Tech handles the alcohol education sanctions very well, and I doubt that the previous author has sat in an alcohol education class. I could be wrong on this statement, but if I am right I am guessing the information about these classes has been secondhand. Therefore, if anyone hasn’t had firsthand experience then I do not believe they can completely write off the classes just yet.
If you have a problem with the amount of money in fees that is spent by students, then try considering that if you don’t get in trouble then you don’t have to pay any fees. It is simple, be responsible and you won’t have to complain about fees for classes you don’t have time or money to put forth.
Overall, Tech deals with the problems that occur on and off campus in regards to alcohol in a very professional manner. If there is ever an issue with this then our campus will always listen to students’ opinions on the
matter.
However, I believe the system works just as it is and criticizing it without offering up any possible alternatives and making comparisons that are outlandish, is not the way to go about changing anything. Why change a process that sets out to truly help the students learn from their errors and become more responsible?