21st birthdays
by Shana Schneider
News Reporter
For many college students, 21st birthdays are a rite of passage and are often accompanied by an evening of binge drinking.
?[Incidents of] binge drinking happen every time someone turns 21,? said Matt Carlson, manager of the Kollege Klub.
Similarly, Matt Goetsch, manager at State Street Brats, said students celebrating 21st birthdays are an especially problematic group.
?Twenty-first birthday people are high on the list [of those] being kicked out for being too intoxicated,? he said.
State Street Brats has a policy that ensures patrons drink responsibly, particularly those celebrating their 21st birthdays.
A ?Too Much Fun Card? is distributed when patrons become too intoxicated and allows them to return at a later date to take a complimentary birthday shot.
?This is our biggest precaution,? Goetsch said. ?This way [the patron] still gets the shot.
The Nitty Gritty, known as ?Madison?s Official Birthday Bar,? allows anyone celebrating his birthday unlimited beer or soda.
Despite this policy, owner Marsh Shapiro emphasized that those drinking alcohol are ?monitored very closely.? Patrons who wish to refill their birthday mugs with beer must return to the bar each time.
?We want to see them walk and how they appear when they come to the bar,? Shapiro said.
While PACE recently initiated proposals aimed at minimizing binge drinking, 85 other universities in the United States have already implemented a program that addresses problems associated with 21st birthday celebrations.
The program, called Be Responsible About Drinking, sends a birthday card to the student within the week of his or her 21st birthday. Each envelope includes a laminated, wallet-size card bearing information about the risks associated with drinking and symptoms of alcohol poisoning.
The program was founded at Michigan State University by Cindy McCue after her son, Bradley, died from drinking 26 shots on his 21st birthday. His story is included in the birthday card mailing.
The purpose of BRAD is not to recommend students abstain from drinking on their birthdays. Rather, McCue hopes to present alcohol-related information to students so they make responsible decisions.
UW students have mixed responses to BRAD.
?This sounds like a cool idea,? said UW-Madison senior Wendy Lo. ?I don?t know if PACE has heard about this, but I like that this targets the individual, not the bars.?
Chloe Britzius is more skeptical of the program.
?My initial reaction is to say that it doesn?t hurt because people can just throw it away and ignore it, but it?s not really likely to do anything either,? Britzius said.
In the 2001-02 academic year, 93 percent of MSU students who received cards reported they still celebrated their 21st birthdays, but they were less likely to get drunk and drink shots, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education.
