Texas colleges are debating whether to join a national lobbying campaign that believes the minimum drinking age of 21 is not working and needs to be re-evaluated. UT is considering it, Texas A&M says not now, and a West Texas school says sign it up.

The Houston Chronicle reports that, “the campaign, known as the Amethyste Initiative, is composed of college presidents from more than 100 universities, including two Texas schools, who say the current drinking age has created a culture of dangerous binge drinking on campuses. The presidents are calling on lawmakers to consider new policies, which could include lowering the drinking age to 18.”

Don Hale, a spokesman for the University of Texas, said the school’s president received a letter about the effort last week. He claimed that the vice presidents’ council will have a meeting about it next Thursday.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving vehemently oppose the effort and some lawmakers have criticized university presidents for endorsing the campaign. They say the 21 age limit has saved countless lives.

According to the Chronicle, “lowering the drinking age to help reduce binge drinking may seem counterintuitive, but supporters say that 18- to 20-year olds would show more moderation if they could drink in public around other adults.”

In Texas, Pat O’Brien, president of West Texas A&M in Canyon, has signed the initiative, as well as the president of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

To read the entire article from the Houston Chronicle, link here:

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