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Boston City Council Speaks Out Against Campus Drinking

* Community leaders discuss policy options in wake of MIT, UMass alcohol-related tragedies

"People will find ways to get it," said Lauren R. Garsten '00.

Henry Wechsler, director of college alcohol studies at the Harvard School of Public Health, testified at the city hearing that increased police intervention could help to stem underage drinking.

Wechsler encouraged cooperation between educators and legislators in their efforts to stop illegal drinking.

"Some colleges and universities are genuinely trying to do something about the problem. However, they cannot do it alone," he said.

Wechsler said that in a national study performed three years ago, he found that 44 percent of college students binge drink.

"It is probably more threatening in New England and, in particular, the Boston area than anywhere else because we are the hub of college life in the U.S.," he said.

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Riley maintains that Harvard remains on top of the issues involving alcohol abuse.

"I think there [are] a lot of things going on at this campus, which are very positive, to deal with this problem," he said

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