A new study by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health looks at whether colleges around the country have been able to implement recommendations made by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The study found that most colleges are doing a poor job of implementing these. As a result, there has been very little improvement in the numbers of college students driving under the influence, even though these numbers have declined significantly across the general population in the US.
Back in 2002, the NIAAA recommended that colleges implement a four-tier program to prevent drinking among college students. Tier 4 involved educating students about the dangers of drinking, and was the least effective, while Tier 1, which involved interventions to crack down on such behavior, was the most effective. Tier 2 involved placing restrictions on drinking and alcohol excesses by enforcing the minimum drinking age laws, restricting access to alcohol retailers and taxing alcohol. Tier 3 involved discouraging alcohol use especially during weekends, banning sponsorship from the alcohol beverage industry, banning alcohol on campus, establishing no-alcohol dormitories and prohibiting keg parties.
The University of Minnesota study found that 98% of the colleges that were surveyed were not employing an effective strategy. About 22% of the respondents were not even familiar with the NIAAA recommendations for preventing alcohol use among college students. Twenty three percent of the colleges had not implemented any of the recommendations contained in Tier 1 and 2, which are the most effective in preventing college drinking. About 65% of the colleges had managed to implement just one or two recommendations in these two types.
One of the conclusions that Alabama DUI criminal defense lawyers can draw from the survey is that colleges have failed to take the problem of drunk driving among college students seriously. There seems to be no attempt to nip the problem in the bud, with the result that students don’t understand the consequences of their actions, and may be caught driving under the influence. This could have serious consequences for the rest of their lives.
