Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is. ~Albert Camus
Alcoholism is a big problem on college campuses. Within Alcoholics Anonymous, underage alcoholics make up just a little more than 2 percent of those going to meetings.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 21 percent of college students are abusing alcohol. Its research found than 1,700 college students die each year from alcohol-related injuries, including car crashes. When colleges try to save these students, most focus on binge drinking, create “substance free” dorms, and host orientations discussing the dangers of alcohol.
In 2008, more than 150 college administrators signed the Amethyst Initiative, which wants to lower the legal drinking age. Efforts like AlcoholEdu – a web-based program only explains the basics of drinking. It does not discuss alcoholism and its effects on physical and mental health.
“Prevention programs on college campuses are designed for people who do not have problems with alcohol to begin with,” says Monique Bourgeois, the executive director of the Association of Recovery Schools. Her group, a consortium of more than a dozen schools, is trying to shift the focus to those students who have already hit rock bottom. “It’s time to remove the stigma from having “those kids” on campus,” Bourgeois said. “Young adults can be alcoholics, too.”