Underage drinking is a major problem at American colleges, but little is known about the extent of alcohol use in different student groups, in different colleges, and in states with different control policies. We used data from the 2001 and 3 previous Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Studies that compared responses of underage students with those of their 21–23-year-old peers. Underage students drank alcohol less frequently but were more likely to drink to excess when they drank. College educational efforts and deterrent policies were limited in their outreach, and half of underage students obtained alcohol very easily. Underage students in states with extensive laws restricting underage and high-volume drinking were less likely to drink and to binge drink. A majority of underage students supported increasing efforts to control underage drinking. The results suggest that additional policy efforts to control underage drinking may be effective and feasible.
College students consume alcohol at the 5-drink level more often than age-matched peers who do not attend college.11 Research evidence suggests that environmental factors common in college settings, such as low prices and easy accessibility to alcohol, contribute to this high rate of alcohol use and related problems.12–14 Although drinking and heavy drinking among underage students on college campuses are widespread, in an analysis of the 1999 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (CAS) data, researchers found that college students’drinking differs from that of their peers who are of legal drinking age.14 Underage students drink less often, but they have more drinks per occasion when they do drink.