Alcohol Policies and Free to Be Foolish: An Analysis of College Students

Abstract

A convenience sample of 472 undergraduate students from a large public university in the Midwest was surveyed with regard to their views on consumption of alcohol as a personal privilege and related policies on alcohol use. The sample of predominantly white students was divided between 239 libertarians and 192 supporters of collective responsibility. Compared with their collective peers, the libertarian students were younger, heavier consumers of alcohol, and more likely to be male. The libertarian students were opposed to external sanctions on drinking behavior regardless of source of authority. Intervention programs such as server training implemented by the students themselves were, however, supported by both groups. The potential for achieving wider low risk alcohol use through server training programs is considered in the context of campus and campus town life. Although promotion of such programs has potential for positive change, administrators must recognize the potency of the world view of “free to be foolish” and broader external forces when seeking a comprehensive needs-based approach to program planning.