Operation Snowball & Illinois Teen Institute Blog

The Amethyst Initiative was launched in July and has support from approximately 130 college and university leaders who believe that the 21-year-old drinking age is not working and has aided in creating a culture of binge drinking. http://www.amethystinitiative.org/

Operation Snowball promotes a healthy lifestyle and has a no use alcohol policy for persons under age 21. Lowering the drinking age would have terrible consequences for youth. Alcohol use by those under 21 is related to numerous health problems including injuries and death results from car crashes, suicide, homicide, assaults, drowning, and recreational mishaps.  Operation Snowball opposes any attempt to lower the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA).

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking reports that alcohol is the drug of choice for America’s young people. The leading cause of death for those under 21 is from alcohol related injuries. Alcohol increases the risk of sexual assault and unhealthy sexual behavior including unplanned pregnancy and sexual transmitted disease. New research indicates that alcohol may harm the developing young brain. The highest prevalence of alcohol dependence in America is among 18 to 20 year olds who typically began drinking at a younger age.

Alcohol abuse puts lives in danger, ruptures families and hurts communities.  Colleges and universities should implement research-based alcohol prevention programs, social norms marketing campaigns, offer alternative programs and activities instead of lowering the drinking age.