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The problem would take on different forms, as it did before the drinking age was raised.</p>
<p>Right, because drinking is such a huge issue in the rest of the world.</p>
<p>[Minimum</a> Legal Drinking Ages around the World](<a href=“http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html]Minimum”>http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html)</p>
<p>The only reason students abuse alcohol is because it’s “forbidden”, seen as dangerous and against the law. It’s the same reason why most Amsterdam locals don’t care much for cannabis.</p>
<p>[Marijuana</a> Laws | Cannabis | Amsterdam | Dutch Pot](<a href=“http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/netherlands/100202/marijuana-cannabis-amsterdam-coffee-shop]Marijuana”>http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/netherlands/100202/marijuana-cannabis-amsterdam-coffee-shop)</p>
<p>[Legalizing</a> marijuana makes pot smoking uncool](<a href=“http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/3153/1/Legalizing-marijuana-makes-pot-smoking-uncool/Page1.html]Legalizing”>Home • ADDICTION)</p>
<p>Binge drinking is still a significant problem in those “enlightened” countries. </p>
<p>[“UK</a> Teen Binge Drinking Is Serious And Chronic”](<a href=“http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144705.php]"UK”>http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144705.php)</p>
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<p>I’m in agreement with cartera45. As long as I’m paying, I get informed of any untoward activities that result in authorities or medical personnel being involved. If this is evidence that my kid can’t handle the independence yet, then I stop the money train until he grows into that independence.</p>
<p>Now as to grades, that is the kids business to handle. He doesn’t need me harping on him about why a B or C (or D). That nagging ended with HS. He knows best what pursuits capture his imagination on the academic side. A bad grade isn’t a life-threatening result.</p>
<p>As scholarships and financial aid depend on grades, however, I want to know if there is a chance of losing those. Also, I have heard horror stories about kids dropping out after tuition in paid, but in time to get a refund, taking the refund and living off of it. None of us thinks our kids will do this, but it couldn’t happen if parents had access to the information.</p>
<p>I was reviewing the current invoice for my son’s college bill. There was an odd line item that said “Dean of Students Fine; $200”… I was like WHAT? So I called and apparently my son had gotten caught for having a small amount of marijuana in his room and subsequently fined $$. Was I notified? NO! But yet it showed up on MY bill, expecting me to pay it. I think I should have been notified so that I could tell them my SON would be paying that not me! I think they should have notified me ahead of time so I could tell them that I would not be paying that, but my son would!</p>
<p>" But yet it showed up on MY bill, expecting me to pay it. I think I should have been notified so that I could tell them my SON would be paying that not me! I think they should have notified me ahead of time so I could tell them that I would not be paying that, but my son would!"</p>
<p>I think you son should have been man enough to pay it off so you wouldn’t have gotten a bill. The person you should be ranting about is your son and his irresponsibility. Obviously, it would have been fine with him if you’d paid $200 for his breaking the law.</p>
<p>“As scholarships and financial aid depend on grades, however, I want to know if there is a chance of losing those.”</p>
<p>If he loses the scholarship or aid due to grades, he has to make up the difference. If he can’t (which is likely) he must find another path. Dealing with adversity is part of growing up.</p>
<p>It really doesn’t make sense to have a policy that parents can’t be told about an infraction but are billed for the consequences of the infraction.</p>
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<p>That sounds great but, IMO, is much too simplistic.</p>
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<p>That’s interesting. My daughter’s tuition bills are addressed to HER. They come to our address and we have made an agreement with our daughter that as we are paying the bills, we will open them. But the university doesn’t make that assumption and therefore sends the bills to the student at the address the student provides them.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, I do agree with you. I am equally if not more disturbed that my son didn’t tell us until we confronted him…good thing we didn’t just pay the bill, which is probably what he hoped for. But surprise…we did and surprise, he pays! But I also wish I would have gotten some kind of note in the mail notifying us. Live and learn.</p>
<p>As to parents “expecting” university health care entities to keep parents informed of treatments/conditions since we are paying the bills, that’s all fine and good, but every person who has attained the age of majority has the right to patient confidentiality regardless of how parents feel about it. Hospitals are required by law to respect this right to privacy and can be in huge trouble if they violate it. Of course, the parent and student can come to an agreement between themselves that this confidentiality can be waived, but we as parents must depend on the student to agree and to put this in writing.</p>
<p>Interestingly, I recently learned that 18 is not the age of majority in all states and US territories.</p>
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<p>I’m thinking, however, that the confidentiality stakes change in the event of emergency and life and death medical circumstances, particularly when the patient is unconscious or unable to make decisions on his own behalf? They would be allowed to call the next of kin and inform of injuries/treatments/medical condition, correct? I’m a RN, so I should know this, but since I don’t work in ER, I’ve never encountered this situation.</p>
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<p>I think it is important to note that binge drinking here is operationally defined as consuming five or more drinks in one instance. I believe that drinking five beers over a few hours is significantly different from getting as wasted as possible, and one should keep that in mind when looking at the survey. (I’m not attempting to refute the dangers of drinking; I’m merely pointing this out.)</p>
<p>Confidentiality goes out the window when it comes to payment. When I practiced law, my firm represented a local mental health hospital. I would be in the court room one day fighting a subpoena for records based on confidentiality and the next day suing a patient in a collection matter over a bill. The patients were always a bit surprised that they had no right to confidentiality when it came to payment.</p>
<p>^^^^I never would have thought anyone would think that confidentiality laws could somehow shield them from paying their bills. You’ve probably seen it all as a lawyer.</p>
<p>I wasn’t saying all college kids drink.</p>
<p>I was saying that when colleges enforce drinking, the numbers don’t go down. It doesn’t stop anyone on my floor from drinking just because there are strict rules</p>
<p>National surveys place the percentage of underage college students who drink at around 60%, and the number who have binged in the past 30 days in the low 40s. Colleges have focused a great deal of effort and research into alcohol education and substance abuse prevention in the past 30 or so years, with limited results. I would say that the main accomplishment in that time has been to raise awareness about the need to have someone sober at the wheel of a vehicle. But late adolescents / young adults are inherently drawn to experimentation with sexuality and intoxicants (and probably the latter to manage the social insecurity that impedes the former). This is nothing new; UVA’s famous Honor Code was initiated as a response to the murder of a faculty member in 1840 by a rowdy, drunk student.</p>
<p>I think another thing the alcohol education has highlighted is not letting a friend pass out and sleep it off. I know that still happens, but I think more kids are aware of alcohol poisoning than we were in my day. I remember the first time I drank way too much in college. I could not stop heaving and I called the emergency room at the local hospital and told them I thought I was dying. They put a nurse on who laughed a bit and told me that if I was able to call them, tell them what I drank and describe how I felt, I was probably not going to die. </p>
<p>I do think the colleges should all have an amnesty policy for those who call for help. A kid should not have to worry about getting in trouble if they call for help.</p>
<p>Drinking age limit leads to binge drinking at 21. Students go to college and aren’t aware of their limits, so they tend to binge drink and the level of danger increasess.</p>
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<p>Is this really true (for underage drinking)? From what I hear, obtaining alcohol and drinking is so routine, it doesn’t sound like the thrill of doing the forbidden even exists anymore. Is that why all the emphasis on the binge drinking? Because there’s no thrill in more moderate drunkenness?</p>