On May 11th, a 20-year-old Arizona State University student was left unconscious in a wheelchair at a local ER with a post-it note stuck to his body to alert staff that he had been drinking heavily and needed help. By the time medical personnel began treatment, the young man’s skin was blue and he was having difficulty breathing. The student had consumed approximately 20 shots of tequila as part of a drinking competition and had a potentially fatal BAC of 0.47 percent. While the young man received medical care in time to save his life, his friends delayed seeking help for him because they were afraid of getting into trouble.
Unfortunately, cases of alcohol poisoning involving minors can have a very different ending. Kenny Hummel, an 18-year-old Washington State University student died in October from acute alcohol poisoning with a BAC of 0.4 percent. And soon the national Delta Tau Delta fraternity will be on trial for the October 2008 death of 18-year-old Johnny Dupree Smith, a Wabash College (IN) student who died after a night of drinking at a fraternity-sponsored event.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that thousands of college students are treated for alcohol poisoning every year and an estimated 1,825 students annually die from alcohol-related incidents, including motor vehicle accidents.
In response to the death of Kenny Hummel and other recent alcohol poisoning incidents involving minors, Washington State became the 12th state to pass an “Alcohol Amnesty” law that establishes limited immunity from prosecution for minors who seek medical help in cases of alcohol poisoning.
The Michigan-based Medical Amnesty Initiative advocates for passage of “911 Lifeline” laws and cites studies that indicate minors are often afraid to call 911 for help, especially when they are intoxicated themselves, and that calls to 911 have risen significantly in states that have passed immunity laws.
Are “Alcohol Amnesty” and “911 Lifeline” laws the right way to reduce deaths from underage drinking and alcohol poisoning? Should minors who drink be prosecuted in all cases, or should there be leeway when a life is at risk?
