Scrawled Shortcuts through the Research Maze
Read the arguments and discussions surrounding drinking in colleges:
College Drinking: Changing the Culture athttp://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/news.aspx and
College Alcohol Study from Harvard University at
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/
Amethyst Initiative
President Weisbuch has signed the Amethyst initiative. What does that have to do with colleges and the drinking? Find out at http://www.amethystinitiative.org/
The Congressional Quarterly Almanac
In 1984, concerns about alcohol-related traffic fatalities led to a controversial amendment to HR 4616 effectively raised the drinking age for all states, withholding federal highway funds from states where the MLDA was under 21. Read the legislative history of the “National Minimum Drinking Age Act” here:
Ref 328.73 C749c 1984, Vol. 40, pp 283-284.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Did you know that the northeast has the greatest percentage of underage drinkers? Find loads of statistics on underage drinking in studies from the National Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/factsNSDUH.htm#2k8Pubs
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The NHTSA estimates that minimum drinking age laws have reduced traffic fatalities involving drivers under 21 by 13%, saving 25,509 lives since 1975. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/810817.pdf.
In 2007, alcohol related fatalities involving drivers under 21 accounted for 14% of total alcohol related traffic fatalities. Check out reports at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.6a6eaf83cf719ad24ec86e10dba046a0/
Quick Stats: Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is defined as “patterns of behavior that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. . . the proportion of current drinkers that binge is highest in the 18- to 20-year-old group (51%)”. More from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention:
http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/quickstats/binge_drinking.htm