2008 Woodie Awards
Campaign advocates lower drinking age
By: Jennifer Ginger
Issue date: 5/3/07 Section: News
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There have been 22 violations to Webster's alcohol policy since August 2006, said Holland Saltsman, managing director of the Webster Village Apartments.
A national drinking age was established in 1984 to decrease the amount of alcohol-related deaths on national highways. Instead of finding ways to enforce the law, one organization plans to alter it.
"Ultimately, our goal is to lower the drinking age," said Grace Kronenberg, assistant to the director and founder of Choose Responsibility.
The Choose Responsibility organization, founded in 2007 by John M. McCardell, president emeritus of Middlebury College in Vermont, proposes that 18-year-olds not enrolled in high school be given the opportunity to obtain an alcohol license in the state they reside. Interested individuals would undergo 40 hours of an alcohol education program. At the program's end, individuals would obtain the liquor license.
Currently, the U.S. government eliminates 10 percent of a state's annual federal highway funds if the state chooses to set the drinking age under 21. Choose Responsibility suggests states that meet alcohol education standards and show an improvement in alcohol-related traffic crashes be given a waiver that would not take away the state's highway funds.
Kronenberg said a drinking license could be used to create an incentive and reward for individuals. Just as one performs several graduated steps in order to obtain a driver's license, individuals could go through steps in order to obtain a liquor license in the state where they reside.
Kronenberg said the campaign needs to establish more of a foundation before entering Congress and legislatures.
Drinking on campus
"The current Residential Life policies not only prohibit underage drinking, but limit the behaviors of those of legal drinking age to encourage responsible use of alcohol," Karen Rasure, interim assistant director of Housing and Residential Life, said in an e-mail.
A national drinking age was established in 1984 to decrease the amount of alcohol-related deaths on national highways. Instead of finding ways to enforce the law, one organization plans to alter it.
"Ultimately, our goal is to lower the drinking age," said Grace Kronenberg, assistant to the director and founder of Choose Responsibility.
The Choose Responsibility organization, founded in 2007 by John M. McCardell, president emeritus of Middlebury College in Vermont, proposes that 18-year-olds not enrolled in high school be given the opportunity to obtain an alcohol license in the state they reside. Interested individuals would undergo 40 hours of an alcohol education program. At the program's end, individuals would obtain the liquor license.
Currently, the U.S. government eliminates 10 percent of a state's annual federal highway funds if the state chooses to set the drinking age under 21. Choose Responsibility suggests states that meet alcohol education standards and show an improvement in alcohol-related traffic crashes be given a waiver that would not take away the state's highway funds.
Kronenberg said a drinking license could be used to create an incentive and reward for individuals. Just as one performs several graduated steps in order to obtain a driver's license, individuals could go through steps in order to obtain a liquor license in the state where they reside.
Kronenberg said the campaign needs to establish more of a foundation before entering Congress and legislatures.
Drinking on campus
"The current Residential Life policies not only prohibit underage drinking, but limit the behaviors of those of legal drinking age to encourage responsible use of alcohol," Karen Rasure, interim assistant director of Housing and Residential Life, said in an e-mail.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
caljaysoc
cal
posted 8/13/07 @ 3:54 PM EST
(dripping with sarcasm) Oh, yes. lets lower the drinking age so that those who are irresponisble enought to do something stupid don't get punished. What a great idea. (Continued…)
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