To the editor:

When I started college, the drinking age was 18. I did not like beer, but I turned down a scholarship from a small, private college in Iowa because alcohol was not allowed in the dorms. I felt my college experience would be limited by attending school with students who would accept this right-limiting rule.

I am still not much of a drinker, having only an occasional light beer. It’s no secret that alcohol abuse and binge drinking is a problem on every college campus — this has been studied and documented in many professional journals, including publications of the AMA and American Academy of Pediatrics.

One thing is clear: Prohibition has never worked. Rep. Rosemary Thompson’s bill that would ban alcohol in all residence halls is tunnel vision at best.

Treat college students like high school students and they will act like high school students. Her bill makes no more sense than college administrations telling students when, where and how they can have parties.

Currently, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is studying binge drinking at many schools across the country — including the University of Iowa.

Hopefully this research will reveal programming that will help curb alcohol abuse among college students.

In the meantime, I propose another bill for Thompson to introduce: Make it illegal for all college students to vote. Note to all college students in Thompson’s district — I encourage voter registration and the use of absentee voting when Thompson comes up for re-election.

Jay J. Hinkhouse, M.D., F.A.A.P.

Alumnus

Ames