Local college officials skeptical about lower drinking age

PHOENIX - Leaders at the Arizona Western College and Northern Arizona University-Yuma campus are not as enthusiastic about a proposal raised by several dozen college presidents that will lower the legal drinking age from 21.

Their argument, dubbed the Amethyst Initiative, is that students are less likely to engage in binge drinking and risky behavior if they are in public places like bars rather than in dorm rooms or off campus.

Larry Gould, associate dean of NAU-Yuma said, there is clear information that people who feel that they should have access to alcohol and don't have access to it, that when they do in fact get it they will binge drink.

"I could say that there is some truth to what the group is saying, but what we would have is a lapse in time in which we have to re-acculturate the 18- to 21-year-olds," Gould said. "They're going to have to drink responsibly, so that's not going to happen in one day; you will see some horrible things being reported.

"I can't say it could be good or bad. I suspect that it would have some negative consequences right away."

AWC president Dan Schoening, said he thinks that the presidents who are involved in this proposal seeking to change the law should ask more questions on whether the proposal will be safer or progressive.

"We're bound by this drug- and alcohol- free policy and procedure that operates at the college, and as president of college, that's what I'll use for the operation of the college ... We will remain a drug-free and alcohol-free campus as long as this policy is in effect," Schoening said.

Gov. Janet Napolitano is giving a chilly reception to a proposal to let those younger than 21 drink - no matter what her personal experience.

Napolitano said Wednesday she has not studied the proposal by several dozen college presidents to scrap state laws that raised the drinking age more than two decades ago to 21. Napolitano said that doesn't make a lot of sense to her.

"I gotta say I'm skeptical because we know the science of brain development even at that age. And we have a real problem with young drivers drinking and driving and making a real push in our state about that.''

The governor credited a crackdown on drinking and driving for at least part of the reduction in fatal accidents in Arizona.

"If they want to send me some information, I'll review it. But my initial reaction is one of deep skepticism."

Napolitano also said that waiting until 21 is not a hardship. She pointed out she went to college at Santa Clara University in California, a state that has set the drinking age at 21 since the end of Prohibition.

"I didn't drink before the legal age,'' she said.

Never?

"You know what? I'm sure I did,'' the governor responded "But that's a lot different than changing the legal standard for everyone."

And, she said, lowering the legal drinking age "probably then pushes down the age to 16 or 15 when kids start drinking. There is an effect there that happens.''

Arizona's drinking age had been 21 until lawmakers approved lowering it in 1972 to 19. It remained there until 1984 when then Gov. Bruce Babbitt signed a new law restoring the previous standard.

Much of that impetus for that change came amid threats by the federal government to cut off aid to any state which allowed drinking younger than 21.

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Sun staff writer Stephanie Sanchez contributed to this article.