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College presidents from over 100 universities have created an initiative to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18.
These presidents argue that the current drinking age encourages dangerous binge drinking on campuses and that with the age lowered it will be easier for universities to instill responsible drinking habits.
In 2005, about 10.8 million people from 12 to 20 years old reported drinking alcohol in the past month, and nearly 7.2 million called them "binge drinkers," according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
The movement is called Amethyst Initiative. It began more than a year ago and now includes such universities as Duke, Dartmouth, Ohio State, Syracuse, Tufts, Colgate, Kenyon and Morehouse.
According to Monitoring the Future, an ongoing study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students, college students, and young adults, three out of every four students had consumed alcohol by the end of their high school career.
"A drinking age doesn't really matter because age doesn't determine whether someone is mature enough to drink," said Brandon McNary, vice president of the Student Government Association at MTSU. "I know people who are 18 that I feel like would be mature enough to drink, and I know people who are 21 than definitely aren't."
The presidents have said they are not calling explicitly for a younger drinking age. Instead, they are seeking an informed debate over the issue and the "Federal Highway Law" that made 21 the national drinking age by denying money to any state that refuses to comply.
In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act, which imposed a penalty of 10 percent of a state's federal highway appropriation on any state setting its drinking age lower than 21.
"Changing the age won't happen, because it's all about Federal money," said Tim Miles, owner of Premium Wines and Spirits in Murfreesboro. "New Orleans was holding out on federal money to keep their drinking age at 18, but they are the last ones who caved. The government basically forces people to make the drinking age 21."
Mothers Against Drunk Driving said that lowering the drinking age would lead to more fatal car crashes. It accuses the aforementioned presidents of misrepresenting science and looking for an easy way out of an inconvenient problem. They are also encouraging parents to consider carefully when sending their children to colleges whose presidents have signed on.
"You could have more people drinking and driving but who's to say that there aren't already underage people drinking and driving," McNary said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 39 percent of fatal crashes, counting all age groups, include alcohol.
"I think that the drinking and driving rate would be a risk, but kids already do that," said Pratik Patel, freshman psychology major. "You don't have to be 21 to get a DUI."
The rate of current alcohol use among youths 12 to 17 declined along with binge drinking from 2004 to 2005, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
"I don't think students at 18 are old enough to take responsibility for drinking," Miles said. "Students between 18 and 21 are different when handling responsibility."
Amethyst Initiative's statement says the current law isn't working, implying that it has created a culture of dangerous binge drinkers and noting that while adults under 21 can vote and enlist in the military, they are told they are not mature enough to drink.
"The age for drinking is skewed because, in America, you are considered an adult at 18," McNary said. "You are tried in criminal court as an adult and therefore receive stricter punishment; you can sign up and go overseas, serve and kill someone for your country all at the age of 18. The government treats them as an adult in every other facet of the society other than drinking. It is hypocritical."
MTSU has not joined Amethyst Initiative and remains a dry campus. There have been no reports by the university to change either of these facts.
"I think that alcohol is associated with crime a lot and people will drink, but I don't think it would be best for MTSU to be a wet campus," McNary said. "I'm sure there are people who will try and drink when they aren't supposed too but I don't think we should change our policy because of that."
Duke University faced accusations that heavy drinking was involved in a 2006 rape allegation. The rape allegations proved to be false, but the alcohol involved was never addressed.
"It looks good from a political stand point for MTSU to say they don't allow alcohol, but I'm not sure it wouldn't make any difference," Miles said. "There are other colleges that have wet campuses, and I don't think that it affects the campus. When you put it under the rug and act like its not going on then they are not looking out for the best interest of the campus."
Amethyst Initiative says that by choosing to use fake IDs and drink illegally, students make ethical compromises that erode respect for the law.
"We should lower the drinking age, because drinking is going on anyways," said Brittni Blackwell, sophomore chemistry major. "I think that if it weren't illegal for 18- year-olds, than it would happen less. A lot of the reason for underage drinking is the thrill."
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