STILL NO. 1

Although it's legal for adults, alcohol still is the No. 1 problem
drug in America.

At least 40 years ago, Kansas University experts such as the late Dr.
Raymond Schwegler stressed that for every emergency caused by a
student using illegal drugs, there were 14 or 15 more because of the
intake of alcohol.

Clearly, that hasn't changed.

"We talk often about the various 'drugs', such as LSD, and the
negative impact they can make on our society, but we overlook the fact
that alcohol is just as much a 'drug' and is far more invasive and
abused than anything else, because it is so easily accessible,"
Schwegler told a Journal-World staff member.

There have been a spate of articles recently about whether to lower
the legal drinking age from 21 to 18, and proponents in both camps
make some convincing arguments. But whatever the age limit, we are
reminded that for all the fears about cocaine, heroin, crack and other
illegal substances, alcohol remains the No. 1 problem "drug" in
America. Abuse of alcohol by young people only reinforces the need to
alter the scene.

Sharon Jayson of USA Today recently wrote an article that began:
"College students today celebrate 21st birthdays with an average of 12
drinks for men and nine for women, (according to) the most in-depth
picture yet of the consequence of extreme partying. The University of
Texas research found 78 percent of students cited ill effects,
including hangovers (54 percent). Of the 44 percent who had blackouts
22 percent found out later they had sex, and 22 percent got into fight
or argument. And 39 percent didn't know how they got home."

Terribly frightening is the admission by subjects in the Texas survey
that 40 percent of them admitted driving after drinking in the past
three months. That percentage is on the increase and we are aware of
its impact because of some tragic accidents in the Lawrence area.

We always get back to whether the drinking age should be 18 or 21.
Recently, a number of college and university leaders have endorsed the
idea of lowering the drinking age to 18, a move they hope would
decrease abusive drinking among students. To its credit, Kansas
University has decided not to jump on the bandwagon, at least for now.

On that subject, psychology professor Kim Fromme who directed the
Texas study says: "If we're talking about drinking and driving,
dropping the age is a bad idea. If we're talking about decreasing the
alcohol consumed by occasion, we're less certain."

Disaster? It's always on the table staring at drinkers, regardless of
their age or the amount of alcohol involved. It takes only one drink
too many to kill or maim. What is that limit?

We are so accustomed to alcoholic beverages being easily available, we
sometimes forget the devastating problem they can pose. It's important
to remember that even though it is legal, alcohol remains the No. 1
"drug" in America.