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Drinking Age Battle Isn’t Over Yet National on Campus report Those who think a national 21 - year - old drinking age will be- come a fact by 1986 may soon have to think again. Though feder- al legislation st jt on forcing the states into adopting higher drinking age laws hholding 10% of their federal highway tax money if they. don’t, a number of observers think some states won't comply. They'll be forfeiting big bucks if they refuse — a total of $22 million for Wisconsin in the 1986 and 1987, for example -- but some analysis says the lost highway taxes will still be less than Pieler losses in taxes and fees associated with liquor sales. For students, Rewelee the point is justice, not money. Bob Bingaman, spokesman for the United States Student Association, says the law is patently wrong-headed and student associations across the country are gearing up to make their state legislatures understand that. “On a gut level, | think it’s a civil right issue,’” he says. “How can you tell this age group, ‘You can vote. You can sue and be sued. You can marry. You can serve in the military, but you can’t drink!? It’s absurd!”” Bingaman says his group and others are. considering a our tutional challenge to the law in court. The 25th Editorial Page Christmas is a special time of the year and just about everyone celebrates in one way or another, most through the use of alcohol lor some Other mind altering drug. We've all heard the scare stories about the tragic deaths that take place on the roads and highways because someone who had too Gy a ALPENABBSAVINGS| PHONE: 356-2131 OFFICES IN Alpena Hubbard Lake Lincoln much to drink got behind the wheel of a car and tried to drive. When people drink too much it not only affects them mentally, it also attacks them physically. A person may literally drink him- self to death. Alcohol affects the heart, liver, kidneys and other organs. It destroys brain cells; every drink a person takes, whether he has a drinking problem or not, kills an average of 50,000 brain cells. These cells can be repaired or replaced. There are no accurate statistics on the number of deaths related to alcohol. When a person drinks himself to death the doctor may put down the cause of death as heart failure, cerebral hemmorage (stroke), liver failure, etc. This is done to “protect” the families. The doctors, technically, aren‘t lying; they just don’t mention that ‘these things were a direct result of alcohol abuse. “ The number of deaths related to excessive drinking in the US alone is estimated at 50,000 to 200,000 a year. So if you are planning to celebrate Christmas with a party or Harrisville two and a few drinks, do so in moderation. Let's keep Christmas safe. Don’t drink and drive, the roads are bad enough with the ice and the rest of us want to live. serves control of alcoho! to the states, and critics see the caning battle over the drinking age as a states’ rights issue. At the U. of Texas- Austin, Rodney Schlosser, student. body Meanwhile two researchers at Boston U. are lending their sup- port to the under 21-year olds. Research by Robert Smith and Ralph Hingson in the School of Behavioral Science suggests that president, says he expects the battle to break there in January. “| don’t want to let the whole world know about all our bullets on the drinking habits of ge before we shoot them,’ he says, but suggests the students’ general unfairly singled out,” says Sm lan of attack wi e lol ed Smith and H ied ne cross in the three: eat period raising the drinking age Has no effect on overall traffic deaths or “| think feenagers: have been drinking ag ey fatal much as ASaennect< soreuaes shee was no of Actin) among, Schlosser points to the fact that Minnesota's traffic fatalities in- 16 and 17 year olds, the group primarily targeted by. the new law. creased four-fold after raising its drinking age to 19. Teens had no CONCEUSIONS FAULTY trouble getting liquor but took to the dangerous and boring privacy of their cars to drink it, It was only when Minnesota The Boston researchers have serious reservations about the con- passed stiff drivng-while-intoxicated or DWI laws that traffic fatal- clusions Congress drew from the study it looked at in drafting the ities began to decrease. 21 year old drinking age law. That study looked at statistics from That's the kind of legislation Sales has in mind, and, in fact, nine states which raised their drinking ages, and found a 28% the Texas Student Lobby has been on record behind tougher reduction in single-vehicle, night-time crashes (those most associ- DWI laws for the last two years. “We would like to have positive ated with alcohol). But the survey found only an 11% reduction in DWI legislation ready to. go in January so legislators can vote for Overall crashes - a percentage ee could by ited something instead of just having to vote against the 21 year old for by chance variation. As Hingson puts it: “They have ‘sugges- law,” he says. Schlosser expects no trouble in mobilizing massive tive data’ but vo “conclusive evidence. = student support for these efforts. The law, he says, has raised their _'M@ Smith-Hingson study included an opinion survey as well, consciousness more than any other issue in the last ten years ane because: it are touches their lives-as defense spending and attacking teenage drunk driving through such punitive legislation other issues don’ may simply foster cyncism toward the legislative process and a ie U. of Wisconsif Eau Claire, president of the student body disregard of law enforcement. At best, raising the drinking age to aay Curtis says they're trying to mobilize the support of private 21 would reduce fatal traffic crashes by 2%, or 1,500 tives a year. business in fighting the new law. Students have blanketed the Ironically, solid data exists to prove that mandatory seat-belt supermarkets in town and all the bars on Water St. with petitions, and airbag laws, which Congress has deferred until 1989, would and they’re stumping for a public awareness club called ‘’| am reduce fatalities 15% to 30% or a minimum of 15,000 to 20,000 driving.’ Participating bar owners agree to provide free, non-alco- lives. Also, says Hingson, passive restraints do not require enforce- holic drinks to club members who, in turn, act as chauffeur for ment to be effective as do both higher-drinking-age and DWI laws. the drinking members of their group. Memberships cost nothing (CONTACT: Rbt. Smith & R. Hingson, School of Public! and participation, says Curtis, is high. Health, Boston U., 80 E. Concord St., Boston, MA 02118. Phone: from. the answers to those questions, they conclude that|— “OOPS” lt was the mistake of the Campus Update not to credit Kevin Moors or Tari Wheel- wright for their fine work on doing the layout work for the paper by omitting their names from the credit listing. This mistake has been correct- ed. 617/247-5814; Bob Bingaman, USSA, 2000 P 20036. Phone: ACC Campus Update is a communications medium of Alpena Community College; and is published bimonthly: 2 except during vacations and examinations periods, by the students of Alpena Communtiy College--Alpena, Michigan. A\ the advisor, or the administration of Alpena Community College. Campus Update is printed by the Alpena News. Editor: Sienna Samp Assistant Editor: Monica Wozniak Photographers: Advertising: Darrin Lightner Layout: Tari Wheelwright & Kevin Moors Sports Editors: Sherry Clark & Ursula McClendon Composition: Advisor: Renee Kaschner Reporters: Agatha Sytek, James UES RAL RE eptember throug! I articles published are the sole responsibility of the author(s), and the opinion(s) expressed in such articles do not necessarily express the views of the editor(s), Tari Wheelwright & Mitch Repke Dr. L. Aufderheide Monica Jahnke, Gregg Robertson, Connie Allen, Tracy Urban, Jackie Sommerfeld, Kevin Moors, Kevin Schalkofski,