The Importance of Breathalyzer Tests in Colleges

Did you know that alcohol is the number one drug used among adolescents under the age of 21? It has a higher percentage of users than tobacco and illicit drugs. So why do so many teenagers engage in drinking alcohol? Well, most teenagers, especially those who attend college, decide to drink alcohol because it is readily available. Even if the person drinking the alcohol is not of age, they still have friends who are. When this happens these two factors can be a deadly combination. Not only is it against the law, but there are many unfortunate consequences for this behavior. This is why it is imperative for university health officials and those responsible for the safety of students do what they can to prevent the occurrence of underage drinking. They can accomplish this by investing in an alcohol breathalyzer machine.

The problem is that when adolescent college students drink alcohol, they don’t just have one drink, they have several. In fact, it is not uncommon for college students to participate in binge drinking.

Are you aware that in 2008, there were approximately 190,000 visits to the emergency room made by people under the age of 21? These teenagers sustained injuries and other health related problems associated with drinking alcohol. Not only that, but also each year close to 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from a number of injuries sustained while being under the influence of alcohol.

You would think with these startling statistics people would fight harder to prevent incidents like this from happening. This is why directive action needs to be taken and serious consequences need to be put into effect.

In order to help in the prevention of alcohol abuse, adolescent teenagers need to realize the ramifications of being caught. If they know there are school officials who are armed with breathalyzers, they might just think twice about engaging in underage drinking. Think about it. How often are you likely to do something bad if you know you will be caught? This is why investing in an alcohol breathalyzer test is essential.

When school officials invest time and money by ensuring the safety of their school, students will be aware that they will have to take responsibility for their actions. When students are held accountable for their behavior, they have no one to blame, but themselves. This is especially true when criminal implications are involved.

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Although the laws vary by state, underage drinking is still considered unlawful and can be handled by the courts. For instance, the state of New York considers allowing a minor to drink alcohol while a parent or guardian is present as “Endangering the welfare of a child” and the person can be prosecuted for such a crime. If the person is not the parent or guardian, they can be prosecuted under the EWOC statute.

In the state of Texas, their laws are much harsher and they actually enact laws that are directly targeted towards underage drinking. In Texas, if a minor is involved in drinking or buying alcohol they are susceptible to:

  • A Class C misdemeanor, and fined up to $500
  • Enrolled in alcohol awareness course
  • 8-40 hours of community service
  • 30-180 days denial or loss of driver’s license

If students know that they will fail the breathalyzer test, this may be enough to prevent them from participating in underage drinking, especially if there are serious consequences involved. Sometimes by stating the facts to students along with the ramifications that will follow, students might just decide that there is too much at stake for a few hours of drinking.


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