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Should the legal drinking age be lowered to 18?
IOWA CITY - Nearly 100 college presidents are supporting the new Amethyst initiative. The University of Iowa's president is not one of them.
On Tuesday evening, President Sally Mason released a copy of the letter she sent to the head of the Amethyst Initiative (Read letter.) In it she says does not believe lowering the legal drinking age to 18 would be effective at this time.
She also claims that there are already too many underage college students who are drinking illegally, and that drunk students have been involved with assaults or unwanted sexual advances with their peers.
Many University of Iowa students like to drink. In fact, the school recently took 12th place on the Princeton Review for the top party schools. Since 1984, the legal age to buy and drink alcohol has been 21. But what if the age limit were lowered to 18?
"I kind of feel like it's like that already. People are underage drinking all the time. People may go a little crazy. I don't know if it would be the best idea as people might go nuts," said Caitie Polz, UI student.
"I think people do it more because they like to rebel so they like to do things. I think it's a very good idea," said Karson Rump, UI student.
The new Amethyst initiative supported by 100 college presidents calls on lawmakers to debate the effectiveness of the 24-year old law which could mean lowering the legal age limit to 18, the same age when people can vote or join the military.
"If you go downtown on any Thursday, Friday or Saturday night now you'll see there are a lot of persons 18 or 19 who are now illegally drinking," said Sgt. Troy Kelsay, Iowa City Police Department.
Charged with overseeing nearly 400 high school students at City High, Principal Mark Hanson thinks lowering the age limit is a bad idea that may mean even younger students will start drinking.
"Basically they've just been driving for a couple of years. If they are able to get the alcohol legally and start experimenting with that and then get behind the car, that's a whole other issue," said Mark Hanson, City High Principal.
And that issue of drunk driving has organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving outraged that college presidents would even consider the idea.
Among all statewide colleges, only the President of Coe College has currently given his support to the group, saying he believes further research by the group might help identify solutions. IOWA CITY - Nearly 100 college presidents are supporting the new Amethyst initiative. The University of Iowa's president is not o... more -
Virtual Rehab? US Scientists Use Second Life To Cure Alcoholics
US scientists are successfully using Second Life to cure alcoholics and are about to publish first research results. Patients at the Accelerated Recovery Centers are treated not only in Atlanta, but also on Identity Island, which exists only in Second Life. Here, they can participate in group conversations or have individual conversations with their therapists. Furthermore, they receive special training that supports them in their decision to resist alcohol and to remain sober. During the test phase, which has been running for the past nine months, roughly 100 alcoholics have made use of the innovative idea and according to the first research results, virtual rehab really seems to work! US scientists are successfully using Second Life to cure alcoholics and are about to publish first research results. Patients at the A... more
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$500,000 worth of alcohol stolen
Clayton police are looking for a half-million dollars worth of stolen booze.
Whether the thieves intentionally stole it, however, remains a mystery for now.
A tractor-trailer rig was reported stolen from a lot behind Bojangle’s Restaurant off Shotwell Road last week, according to Clayton police. The truck’s cargo: assorted hard liquor valued at $500,000.
Police said the driver of the truck, a local man whom Allen declined to identify, parked the truck behind Bojangle’s on Thursday night. When he returned Friday, it was gone.
The truck was destined for Raleigh.
“Someone joked, just go to the biggest post-election party tonight and you will find where it was directed to,” Allen said. Clayton police are looking for a half-million dollars worth of stolen booze. ... more -
Has the government got the bottle?
This year's budget increased the price of alcohol, supposedly in response to binge drinking. But is the government overlooking the big problem: knock-down booze prices in the supermarket? This year's budget increased the price of alcohol, supposedly in response to binge drinking. But is the government overlooking th... more
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I Got Drunk on Absinthe Yesterday.
Absinthe is now legal in the United States Here's a drink-by-drink account of my first run in with it...
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Turtle Island Project: Respect for Environment, Native Americans and all Indigenou...
The Turtle Island Project in northern Michigan was founded in August 2007 by two Midwest pastors who believe the future of mankind and world is at a crossroads.
Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns believe that Christians could learn a lot about nature and the environment by listening to Earth-based cultures like Native Americans, Celts, and other Indigenous peoples.
Rev. Hubbard is a Lutheran pastor, and Rev. Cairns is an ordained United Church of Christ minister.
Both have extensive backgrounds in interfaith and multicultural work.
The Turtle Island Project (TIP), based in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, promotes respect for the environment and Native Americans.
Two Midwest pastors created the TIP to foster a national discussion and debate on a wide variety of issues involving the future of the planet and mankind including encouraging Christians to learn how to appreciate nature like Earth-based religions such as American Indians, Celts and other Indigenous peoples.
Turtle Island Project volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson has more on the founders and their goals.
Time: 9:50
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White Buffalo Calf Woman Society:
http://www.wbcws.org
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Turtle Island Project related websites:
Turtle Island Project main website:
http://www.turtleislandproject.org
Turtle Island TV (blipTV)
http://turtleislandtv.blip.tv/
Turtle Island TV (youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse
Turtle Island (myspace)
http://www.myspace.com/TurtleIslandProject
Turtle Island Project websites/Blogs:
http://groups.msn.com/WhisperingTurtle
http://turtleislandproject.wordpress.com/
email:
TurtleIslandProject@charter.net The Turtle Island Project in northern Michigan was founded in August 2007 by two Midwest pastors who believe the future of mankind and... more -
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A Vaccine For Drug Abuse
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Transform Your Toad Into Drug Paraphernalia
According to US laws, possession of the Sonora Desert toad is legal unless you are aware of its potential to get you really high. This laughable example of US drug policy comes to light after a man in Kansas City was arrested when authorities determined he possessed his toad with the intent to get high. The toad's secretions can be smoked when dried out... According to US laws, possession of the Sonora Desert toad is legal unless you are aware of its potential to get you really high. This... more
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Absinthe is back!
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Faces of Meth
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Honesty is a virtue... Unless you smoke herb.
Clinton didn't inhale
Dubya ignored accusations of drug use
Obama "got into drinking, experimenting with drugs."
How will Obama's admitted use of drugs in High School play in the primaries?
Is honesty not a good policy when informing kids about drugs? I have been told my whole life by cops and administrators that, "they don't call it 'dope' for no reason." I know I will tell my kids the truth from my life. It's much easier being happy with being lazy when you smoke herb.
I may not be voting for Obama, but I think that a frank and honest talk about drugs in this country would not be a bad thing. Clinton didn't inhale Dubya ignored accusations of drug use Obama "got into drinking, experimenting with drugs." ... more -
Winehouse's Mum Glad Blake's Banged Up
The mother of the singer Amy Winehouse says that she wants her daughter's husband to stay inside for the good of Amy's health.
"Thank God he's gone inside," she said. "I think he's introduced her to them [drugs] and now she thinks, 'Oh, this is good, this is OK'." The mother of the singer Amy Winehouse says that she wants her daughter's husband to stay inside for the good of Amy's healt... more -
Is Your Toilet Spying On You?
Scientist have found a way to monitor elicit drug use in communities by testing the wastewater. Environmental chemists from Oregon State have developed an automated detection system that samples water at waste treatment facilities. It breaks the various compounds down and can deduce which drugs are prevalent in certain areas. This is supposed to give "Officials" an unbiased view of the localized drug use in their towns.
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Drug tests? Britney Spears hits the snooze button
Spears has missed eight out of 14 calls telling her to show up for the court-mandated testing
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Crack Cocaine Sentencing Disparity
"An amendment, introduced by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, lowers the bottoms of the recommended sentencing ranges for crack cocaine-related crimes so that they are no higher than the mandatory minimum sentences required by law. The change is expected to impact around 3,500 people each year, and will reduce defendants' sentences on average by 15 months, according to the Sentencing Project.
This is a small step towards mitigating the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine, which disproportionately affects people of color." "An amendment, introduced by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, lowers the bottoms of the recommended sentencing ranges for crack co... more -
Woman Stabs Tied-Up Lover to Drink Blood
"A woman who stabbed her tied-up lover so she could drink his blood has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Tiffany Sutton told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge David Udall that she was sorry for the incident and said she never meant to hurt anyone, but received the stiff sentence anyway after he called the crime especially heinous."
This and other reasons to not allow your lover to tie u up. "A woman who stabbed her tied-up lover so she could drink his blood has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Tiffany Sutton told... more
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Drugs & Alcohol
