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A new six-year study at the University of Virginia
has found that educating students about the extent to which their peers
actually drink results in significant reductions in alcohol-related
drama on campus. The study, reported in the July-August edition of the
Journal of American College Health, used “social norms marketing” to
inform first-year students of actual drinking statistics on campus as
reported in student surveys. According to the surveys, students drink
significantly less than perceived by their peers. The simple act of
informing students (through posters and flyers) about the real rate
that an average student drinks can prevent dangerous binge drinking.
Over the six-year study, rates of alcohol-related consequences fell by
nearly half. In other alcohol-related news, the Amethyst Initiative—a
growing movement of chancellors and presidents of colleges and
universities across the country working to lower the drinking age to
18—is stirring things up considerably. So far the group has collected 128 signatures
from campus leaders interested in combating the culture of binge
drinking on campus by allowing students to drink earlier and smarter.
Many are opposed to the initiative, arguing that lowering the drinking age will do little to combat alcohol abuse. Supporters,
however, feel that the initiative is the first step in engaging in a
legitimate debate on the subject, and taking a hard look at the laws
that govern alcohol consumption.

More from the University of Virginia
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More from the newspaper of Southern Illinois University, The Daily Egyptian
More on the university’s stance from the newspaper of Southern Illinois University, The Daily Egyptian
More from the Carnegie Mellon student newspaper, The Tartan
More from the University of Texas-Austin student newspaper, the Daily Texan
More from the Emory University newspaper, The Emory Wheel
More from The Daily Star
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More from the New York Times
More from the Baltimore Towson Times
More from the Amethyst Initiative