........Recent surveys indicate that alcohol use among high school and college students is on the rise and that binge drinking takes place regularly among people of that age group. Unfortunately there are many people in this country who view this trend as simply part of a rite of passage into adulthood, and who feel that the young learn valuable lessons by experimentation and will eventually learn to regulate themselves. While there is an element of truth to this in some instances, the application of this theory to the consumption of alcohol makes about as much sense as letting untrained 16 year-olds drive automobiles until they eventually figure out that you can kill someone by driving 90 mph all the time! The fact that you reach legal drinking age on your 21st birthday does not automatically qualify you to consume alcohol responsibly.

........ Perhaps it is time to develop an alcohol training program patterned after our driver education programs. The key to this program would be the issuance of a "learner's permit" for the consumption of alcohol. Since the legal drinking age in most states is 21, the permit could be applied for at age 18; it would allow for the consumption of a limited amount of alcohol, only while under the supervision of a responsible adult until the age of majority is attained. This permit would be issued only upon completion of some type of alcohol awareness training program. Consumption could only take place in special establishments, perhaps similar to the old army beer halls serving 3.2% beer, only accessible by foot or public transportation. Most college campuses have facilities that could be easily modified for this use.

........ Possession or consumption of alcohol by persons under age 21 in any other circumstances would remain illegal, and would result in suspension of the permit for a specified period of time. Ongoing counseling would be provided during the three-year period, and successful completion of the program could be rewarded by a percentage reduction in automobile insurance rates.

........ While a program of this type is no guarantee that young adults will be able to handle alcohol responsibly when they reach legal age, they will at least have had some prior experience and training under relatively controlled circumstances. Our responsibility to educate our children extends beyond book-learning. We must also teach them to function safely and effectively in the real world!

© 1997All Rights Reserved
Frank Dionne
15 Elmwood St.
Maynard, MA 01754
Office: (978)897-9060
Cell: (978)342-9059
E-Mail: frank.dionne@verizon.net