The Amethyst Initiative is something that is encouraging lawmakers to rethink the legal drinking age of 21. University of California president Mark Yudof does not think the issue needs to be addressed. The initiative was set up by the former president of Middlebury College John McCardell. His main point behind the initiative is to decrease the amount of binge drinking in America by increasing education. As college students we see a lot binge drinking on campus and observe the negative affects. Apparently Yudof does not think that lowering the drinking age to 18 and better educating the youth will stop that problem on campuses.

The New University:

Yudof mentions, “Neither I, nor my campus colleagues, believe there is a compelling reason to change present law. Nor is there scholarly consensus that lowering the drinking age to 18 can be expected to yield health and safety benefits for young Americans.”

One hundred thirty college presidents have already signed the initiative, ranging from private liberal arts colleges to East Coast Ivy League universities, such as Johns Hopkins University and Dartmouth College, to high-ranking West Coast colleges such as Occidental College and Pomona College.

Both sides of the issue present a good point, but to be honest, as someone that observes these things, I think it is a cultural stigma that plagues young Americans. Once a kid enters college they love the idea of being hammered and some never leave that state of mind. If the drinking age is lowered, it would take a long time for the number of binge drinkers to decrease due to our culture. I think a real solution would be to go European and allow alcohol in public places. It would offer accessibility and people, especially students, would approach partying in a different way. But that’s just me, what you think?