Introduction
Binge drinking can be defined as the consumption of alcohol with the basic objective of becoming drunk or intoxicated. This consumption is carried out within a very short period. Binge drinking is carried out in groups consisting of such people as students. There is associating this form of drinking with economic costs, social harms, and also increased health problems. This paper is going to consider solutions to the problem of binge drinking by college students presented by Froma Harrop and by Henry Wechsler. These solutions are going to be compared, a common ground established, and finally, there will be taking a personal stand on the issue of binge drinking by college students.
Harrop’ solutions and reasons
According to Froma Harrop, college students are adults and they have to engage in drinking responsibly and if they do not drink responsibly, they have to face the consequences just like any other adult. He points out that most Americans can engage in drinking without any problems. His stand is that; even if there are claims that there have been cases where students have died from binge drinking; many other deaths have occurred from car accidents and injuries that are related to sports. More so; there has been no taking of notice of the statistics of people who are not students who have died from alcohol poisoning and yet these people are still at the same age as the college students. He stresses the fact that the American people regard an employed person who is 19 years old as an adult but regard a college student of the same age as a child. However, the responsibility of the college administration is to ensure that that the students engage in drinking responsibly. The problem of binge drinking comes about because many students don’t know how to drink. Those who are addicted need to be helped out so that they can come out of this problem.
Wechsler’s solutions and reasons
According to Henry Wechsler, the problem of binge drinking among college students has become widespread and the college administration seems not to take effective measures to prevent this. According to him, the administration is in a position to stop this problem by preventing access by students to alcohol around the college campuses or even within the campus.
First, the college administration is supposed to know that there exists a problem and stop overlooking it with the belief that it has always been there and nothing is wrong as long as the problem does not seem to increase or a tragedy does not occur. More so, there is a need to touch the root of the problem. There should be no more viewing of the supply of large quantities of cheap alcohol as not being within the purview of the college officials. The college officials are in a position to control the bar stores and the fraternity houses, where there is drinking of alcohol by the students, even if they are off-campus.
Moreover, according to Wechsler, whenever new policies are established, verification needs to be carried out to ensure their effectiveness. Enforcement should be carried out to ensure the policy is put in effect. He calls out for action to be taken by all the concerned parties including the office of the college president, the fraternity system, the community licensing boards, the students, and even the parents. The parents need to demand an environment that is safe for their children.
Comparing Harrop’s and Wechsler’s solutions
In comparing the two sets of solutions; they do differ. Harrop regards students as being adults just like any other adult in society who is supposed to take responsibility for his or her actions. These people need not be treated as children by taking measures of trying to prevent them from accessing alcohol. Indeed, as Harrop points out, any student who will want to get alcohol will be able to get it regardless of the restrictions put in place. The solution he offers is that the students need to be thought how to drink responsibly to avoid the problems that result from binge drinking and those who are much affected by this problem need to be helped out.
On the other hand, Wechsler suggests that strict measures need to be taken to ensure that the students do not access alcohol on campus or off-campus and there should be enforcement of the policies that are put in place. The students need to be protected from alcohol drinking to avoid the harm that is imposed on their health. The parents as people who pay for the tuition of these students have a right to demand that the college administration ensures a safe environment for their children.
Common stand
Looking at these two standpoints taken by Wechsler and Harrop, there is a common; the two appreciate that binge drinking is a big problem that is facing students in colleges and there is a need to overcome this. The solutions they present are aimed at protecting the college students who may engage in binge drinking. They indicate that it is the responsibility of the college administration to protect the students from binge drinking. A common stand is very important since it is from this common ground that ideas are generated by several people in trying to seek a solution to a particular problem. By bringing together these ideas, the most effective solution can be obtained.
How the binge drinking problem can be stopped
The stand I take is that; trying to take college students as children and not adults and imposing strict policies to prevent them from accessing alcohol may bring in more harm. These people need to be given guidance on how to drink responsibly and why one needs to drink responsibly. Those who might be having the problems associated with binge drinking like addiction need to be helped out so that they can resume their normal life. Policies need to be put in place by the college administrations that control the drinking patterns of the students. They are not supposed to be viewed as children and denied access to alcohol since this might have an effect of causing them to turn out to be rebellious. By them becoming rebellious; they might engage in even more irresponsible drinking causing more harm.
Conclusion
The problem of binge drinking greatly affects college students. These problems need to be overcome by taking measures to ensure that those students who may engage in drinking do it responsibly. They need to be made aware of how important it is to drink responsibly.