Underage College Students' Drinking Behavior, Access to Alcohol, and the Influence of Deterrence Policies: Findings from the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study

TLDR

Underage drinking is a major problem at American colleges, yet little is known about its prevalence across student groups, institutions, and states with varying control policies. The study analyzed data from the 2001 and three prior Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Studies, comparing underage students with 21‑23‑year‑old peers. Underage students drank less frequently but were more likely to binge, half obtained alcohol easily, stricter state laws reduced drinking and bingeing, and most supported stronger controls, suggesting that additional policy efforts could be effective and feasible. Keywords: alcohol, automobile accidents, binge drinking, minimum legal drinking age, underage drinking; authors: Meichun Kuo et al., Harvard School of Public Health.

Abstract

Abstract Abstract Underage drinking is a major problem at American colleges, but little is known about the extent of alcohol use in different student groups, in different colleges, and in states with different control policies. We used data from the 2001 and 3 previous Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Studies that compared responses of underage students with those of their 21-23-year-old peers. Underage students drank alcohol less frequently but were more likely to drink to excess when they drank. College educational efforts and deterrent policies were limited in their outreach, and half of underage students obtained alcohol very easily. Underage students in states with extensive laws restricting underage and high-volume drinking were less likely to drink and to binge drink. A majority of underage students supported increasing efforts to control underage drinking. The results suggest that additional policy efforts to control underage dnnking may be effective and feasible. Key Words: alcoholautomobile accidentsbinge drinkingminimum legal drinking ageunderage drinking Additional informationNotes on contributorsMeichun KuoAll of the authors are with the Department of Health and Social Behavior at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.