Binge Drinking on College Campuses

Binge drinking on college campuses is a growing problem in the United States. Binge drinking is defined as "the consumption of five or more drinks in one sitting" (Presley 36). Many people have been injured or killed because of underage drinking. However the root of this problem stems well outside the gates of colleges. Majority of drinkers in college have had their first drink well before they go off to college. So while preventative-drinking methods in college is important, it is far more pertinent to attack the root of when kids decide to drink for the first time. After all, there are very few pre-college students who have the self-control to drink responsibly. The average student either binge drinks or does not drink at all. By the time kids arrive at college, they have already made their decision whether to binge drink or not. It is the country's responsibility however to turn this into an educated decision. That is ultimately one of the very few ways to prevent dangerous drinking habits on college campuses.

Underage drinking is currently a largely controversial issue in The United States. While many people believe that it is a dangerous act that is morally reprehensible, others find it to simply be a form of harmless entertainment. The term dangerous drinking, refers to the "well documented phenomenon in which college students consume unhealthy quantities of alcohol..." (Lederman 5). Although the drinking age is 21, many disregard the law and most students have had their first taste of alcohol well before they step onto a college campus.

In the state of Maryland, the law states that it is illegal to posses any alcoholic beverage if you are under 21. These laws also punish the possession of a fake identification card to obtain alcohol, use another's identification card to obtain alcohol, or attempt to operate a motor vehicle if your blood alcohol concentration is .02 or higher. (Minimum drinking age laws.)