Parents, Teens Discuss Perils of College Drinking Culture

"There is no such thing as responsible drinking for anyone under age 21," said Jeff Levy, whose son died after a college drinking party.

Levy spoke as a panel member at the Perils of the College Drinking Culture forum, co-sponsored by the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County Public Schools and the Fairfax County Police Department.

"The first year after my son's death, I was focused on moderation," said Levy.  "The problem is the first drink makes the second easier and so on," he said.  "Your kids may drink, but they should know what your expectation is; and your expectation should be 'no drinking until 21."

HAZE, a 36 minute film, started the forum at West Springfield High School.  More than 120 parents and teens were silent as the story unfolded of Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr.'s tragic death from acute alcohol poisoning at a University of Colorado fraternity house in 2004.

The film included these facts:

• Some 1,700 college students die annually in the U.S. from alcohol related circumstances.
• Of these 1,700, 400 deaths are directly attributed to alcohol poisoning.
• As many as 700,000 injuries are due to alcohol abuse at colleges each year.
• Of college students nationally, 22 percent meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol and drug addiction.
• Alcohol is a substance that has profound effects on virtually every organ in the human body.

Panel member Dr. William Hauda, an emergency physician at Inova Fairfax Hospital, said he treats alcohol related problems every shift he works.  "We see all sorts of stuff people would not normally do if they weren't intoxicated," he said. 

Hauda said that for teens, alcohol problems are acerbated because the human brain continues to develop until age 25.  "The same parts of the brain which are not yet matured are the same areas affected by alcohol," he said.

Casey Lingan, chief deputy with the Office of Commonwealth's Attorney for Fairfax County, said the forum was not meant to scare people. "We're here to talk with you about this, and to educate you," he told the parents and students. 

"Kids believe they're invincible, so they need to have a plan when they get to school," said Captain Bruce Ferguson, commander of the Youth Services Division of the Fairfax County Police Department.  He acknowledged that peer pressure is huge at college.  Since alcohol frequently leads to other crimes, like assault and rape, planning ahead to be a non-drinker is an important safety measure.

Lingan said it can be done.  "I went to parties.  I would not drink.  It's as simple as that," he said.  "I had a lot of friends and a lot of fun, and I didn't miss anything not drinking."

Jeff Levy said he wishes he'd taken a harder line with his son.  "Two nights before his death, I reminded my son not to drink, and not to get into a car with anyone who had been drinking," he said. 

"Trust me dad. I know better," said his son.  He died as a passenger in a car driven by an intoxicated teen.

The Perils of the College Age Drinking Culture forum will be held at Westfield High School, 4700 Stonecroft Boulevard in Chantilly, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27.