I am writing in response to the article about Mothers Against Drunk Driving (“National MADD reps debut suggestions to curb drinking” March 1). MADD’s suggestion to establish alcohol policy boards at universities and colleges nationwide would not work because all schools are already trying to curb underage drinking nationwide, and it’s obviously not working. Establishing a board on alcohol policy will just cost schools more money, and these costs will be passed on to students. It will just put more money into the pockets of bureaucrats. If students want to drink, they will — regardless of all the ridiculous laws politicians choose to pass. If someone gets arrested for underage drinking, they will just be more careful the next time they drink.
In most countries, the drinking age is 16, 18, or nonexistent. Their governments just trust people to be able to regulate their own drinking. America has the oldest minimum age. Because of this, more people drink underage. If people choose to drink, it should be a personal decision, not one regulated by the government. The greater concern should be if someone gets behind the wheel if they are too drunk to drive. If a freshman gets drunk in Allston, and then takes a cab home, he’s not hurting anyone. Most college students work hard all week, and if they want to go out and have a good time on the weekends, no one has the right to take it away from them. Age is not indicative of maturity and responsibility. A more pragmatic approach would be free buses and car services run by universities to take students to and from bars and parties. The reason a lot of people drive drunk is not because they want to, but because there’s no other way home.
MADD would do better campaigning to get the T to run later. There are lot of reasons why people chose to drink, and simply stating that underage drinking is wrong just because the law says so is not effective. People may drink because they want for socialization, for the taste, or for cultural reasons or because they like being drunk. Such advocacy groups that try to prevent underage drinking should take these reasons into account.
Quinn Kelly CAS ’03
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