Opinion

When you booze, you lose

An in-depth look at the social ramifications of alcohol

By Michael Rocque

Posted on April 25, 2005, at 12:00 a.m.

For all the problems that are scrutinized regarding college students, perhaps the most pressing and ultimately damaging one is often overlooked. Binge-drinking and alcohol consumption as a whole is generally considered a normal part of being a student. However, this senseless act of quasi-fun has served to ruin many a night and indeed many a life.

According to a Harvard University survey, one-in-six college students qualify for alcohol dependence and one-in-three of the dependants for alcohol abuse. These problems not only affect their academic and social lives, but they often can persist long into adulthood. For some reason or other, we have decided to ignore the issue, concluding that this behavior is harmless, yet it is not.

Dr. Henry Wechsler states: “The findings that so many students are diagnosable as alcohol dependent or alcohol abusers indicate that the drinking levels of too many students are dangerously high. Any attempt to downplay college drinking flies in the face of the facts.”

More problematic still, study after study has shown that in many college fraternities, the use of alcohol has contributed to a “rape culture” in which the participants use the drug to intoxicate – which, by the way, means to poison – women so that they can have sexual relations with them. Though alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, many users erroneously believe it is a stimulant which will enhance their sexual performance or render their victim less willing to object. Not only can alcohol destroy interpersonal relationships, it can, contrary to what many think, cause permanent neurological damage, which could fatally wound sexual ability. One study found that among male alcoholics, sexual dysfunction occurs 75 percent of the time.

Yet the most convincing evidence that alcohol provides farce entertainment is that its major effect is to reduce inhibition. This means that, for the most part, all users would have to do is lower their social guard, and the fun would carry on. Finally, I cannot count how many times I have seen this “terrific” social stimulator abruptly crash the party for those who have had too much, ejecting itself from the person in ways I dare not describe. Vomiting is one of life’s horrible idiosyncrasies, and I am befuddled as to why anyone would purposefully do something that will cause it to happen.

There have been many novel attempts to address drinking in the general population. None have worked. People will still think that alcohol helps them in some strange way, and they will continue to hedonistically consume gallon upon gallon each year.

In 1920, the U.S. Congress took action on this problem in a forceful manner. Prohibition did not last long, and it was ineffective in stemming the flow of liquor. However, the idea was not shared by many who were charged with its enforcement, and most who would be denied public drinking. Thus, 13 years later, the 18th Amendment was repealed. This situation does not mean that the concept of outlawing such a useless and detrimental substance is bad. After all, murders take place everyday, and one could easily argue that the rate is so high because it is prohibited.

In high school, I made the unpopular move of creating the Prohibition Society of America. I was the only member. Certain substances, actions and events are able to give human beings pleasure. This is a fact, not a license, for individuals in a society to pursue all self-gratifying activities. We have come to an agreement on many things that should be outlawed in order for a more peaceful life for all. Just as no one should be free to take part in such behaviors as arson, theft or the ingestion of LSD, alcohol should not remain legal for students under 25 old. We seem, for the most part, not to handle it well. There will be those who argue that the government should not control what one does to one’s own body. If it was simply a matter of personal choice with alcohol, I would tend to agree. However, the social damage and destruction it causes leads me to believe it is not an individual problem. How many students get stone-drunk when they are by themselves?

An interesting proposal was set forth in a class discussion on this topic. Since we do not know who will be susceptible to alcohol abuse and dependence beforehand, perhaps we should issue liquor licenses, not to sell, but to drink. The argument goes as follows: We do not issue driver’s licenses to those who will use it irresponsibly or who are not ready for it. Likewise, we could have potential consumers drink in a controlled atmosphere and determine whether they are prepared to drink sensibly.

Clearly these ideas – prohibition of alcohol for students or consumer licenses – will not be met with enthusiasm here at the UMaine. The question is, why? Why do we feel that alcohol is so vital for our social experiences? Other than the Libertarian position that individuals should have the final say as to what goes in their bodies, is there a viable argument concerning why alcohol is so great? The truth is most students think drinking is cool because they believe others will think they are cool if they drink. Perhaps it is time to find something more productive and responsible to deem “cool.”

Michael Rocque is a senior sociology major.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 25th, 2005, 12:00 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.