By: Anne Swenson, Intern, San Antonio Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
I am a senior at a prominent university in San Antonio. Last semester, I attended a celebration in honor of the restoration of one of our oldest and most cherished buildings on campus. Hundreds gathered for this event—many students, staff, faculty, alumni, as well as many who are not directly affiliated with the university. At the reception, a variety of food was offered, including free beer and wine. As of July 2011, I am 21 years old so, I decided that I would like a glass of free wine. As I approached the counter I had my ID ready to show to our food provider’s employee who was serving the drinks—the same man I see around our cafeteria regularly. I handed it to him, and to my surprise, he chuckled. “Did you think I was going to card you?” Seeing as the majority of our student body is under 21 years old, I responded, “Well, you should be.” He handed the glass to me without looking at my ID.
I don't even look 21. I am petite in stature and have a young-looking face; I could easily pass for 17. Not being carded came as a shock to me. If I had been a minor (and on this particular occasion, there was a good chance that I was) he would have still given me the drink. With so many young women out there that look much older than their actual age, how many minors are able to obtain alcohol because they look like they are old enough—or simply because the server does not care either way? What message does this send to students on behalf of my university and our food provider? Some might think, “This is awesome; they give us free alcohol in the middle of the day and don’t worry about carding us! They understand college students.” This is not the message I received. I perceived an overwhelming lack of concern, from his chuckle and indifferent tone.
I am well aware of the enormous alcohol abuse problem in our city. Its detrimental effects ripple throughout our communities, contributing to impaired driving, crime, lost productivity, family problems, health problems, alcoholism, and countless other alcohol-related problems. Many dismiss alcohol as a significant issue because they believe that other drugs are much worse; this is a diluted perception. Every year, alcohol does more damage by far than any other drug.
I do not believe that consuming alcohol is wrong. There is a time and place. There is also an age limit. If we are lenient about some rules, like age, at what point will we draw the line? Does handing out free alcohol to college students, faculty, staff, and visitors without enforcing the age limit for alcohol consumers contribute to this problem? Maybe. Maybe not. Nonetheless, as a university which prides itself in its active role in serving our community and its firm stance in helping to solve social problems, I wonder how aware and concerned my university is with one of San Antonio’s most detrimental problems. Its mission statement emphasizes the importance of educating students to become leaders for the common good. Surely, this should include educating and encouraging students about the importance of complying with the law—especially those laws regarding alcohol. Most students face decisions about alcohol on a regular basis; we are figuring out its role in our lives and where we stand on the issues that surround it. What can we do to help solve it? Surely, nonchalantly handing out free alcohol without ensuring that the consumer meets the law’s requirements is not a step in the right direction.
