[HPFGU-OTChatter] College drinking outsid the US

[Janette]

On 3/1/07, kemper mentor <kempermentor at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Question: is drinking a problem at colleges in other countries?
>
> If yes, what do the problems look like?
>
> If no, why not?


montims:

define "problem"...!

In the UK, adults are allowed to drink alcohol at will, and adults are 18
years and older.  A lot of teens and people in their 20s or so drink to
excess - it is the Northern European influence, I think...
In Italy, on the other hand, it is seen as shameful to be drunk, at whatever
age - people meet for a meal, not for a drink, and wine is drunk with meals
from an early age.  Hence, it is cool for teenagers, students or otherwise,
to drink coke instead of alcohol.

Having lived in Iowa City for 3 years, I am astounded at the attitude of
students towards drinking, and at the number of PAULAs reported in the
Police Blotter of the local paper...  I also do not understand the
sororities and fraternities, hazing, etc, as these do not exist anywhere
else I have been...  I really do feel it is the laws forbidding under-21s to
drink even a beer (yet permitting 15 year olds to fire guns and drive cars)
that lead to the problems in American universities...


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