Colby College Bans Liquor to Fight Binge Drinking, Alcohol Poisonings
Saturday, January 5th, 2008Leslie Bridgers of the Portland Press-Herald reports that Colby College will ban hard alcohol from all dorms and parties beginning this year in an attempt to cut down on dangerous episodes of toxic drinking by students.
The ban comes “more than two years after nearly 20 students were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning following a now-defunct annual tradition called Champagne on the Steps, in which seniors marked the end of classes by drinking on the steps of Colby’s library.”
Colby Dean of Students Jim Terhune said the ban would hopefully lead to safer outcomes for students who choose to drink, since “we don’t have students ending up in the hospital because they’ve had too many beers.” However, some students believe the policy – which bans liquor for all students, regardless of age – is too restrictive and might lead to more underground pre-gaming. What do you think?