Community

Tackling Underage and Problem Drinking On College Campus

Work Together

This is your community -- forget "turf" issues! Actively work together with all sectors of the community and the college to address the issue of underage and problem drinking. Recruit elected officials, community leaders, high school parents, media representation, alcohol retailers, community organizations, landlords and local business leaders to work together on an underage and problem drinking prevention coalition that promotes one consistent message of no use of alcohol under the age of 21.

Collect as much data related to underage and problem drinking in your community as possible. Data may include the number of arrests or citations for drinking under 21 or the number of emergency room visits involving alcohol use by persons under the age of 21. In conjunction with everyone on the local underage and problem drinking prevention coalition, analyze the data and use it to set clear priorities and goals. Determine effective strategies that will allow the community to reach its goals successfully. Select and implement three to five strategies within the community and on campus. Continue to collect data to demonstrate the success of the strategy or to allow you to make alterations in the event the strategy does not show success.