Should the SU crack down on alcohol abuse by banning official drinking societies?

Tom Hatton: As the president of a drinking society, I obviously disagree with that sentiment. We and the SU accept that there’s an acceptable limit to alcohol consumption. Drinking societies are actually very important in instilling a sense of culture and appreciation of alcohol, rather than drinking for drinking’s sake.

Tom Newham: But how can a society based on love of alcohol be about anything other than drinking for drinking’s sake? It’s all part of a culture that encourages reckless drinking. Drinking societies aren’t the cause, but they are a symptom.

TH: Well, actually we think students need to learn to drink in a way that’s balanced, an that’s what the Real Ale society is all about. We got to tastings at beer festivals and we try different beers at different pubs. We’re there to drink because we like it, not because we want to have a “banterous” time.

TN: There are a great many students who have had experience with drinking societies who would say otherwise. There are lots of students who come to university, see drinking societies and think “Hey, let’s get trashed!”. it doesn’t matter how the intentions of these societies are, they are a rallying point for irresponsible drinkers. That’s the reality of the matter.

TH: Well, actually we get a lot of freshers who join, and who do think it’s fun to get pissed out of their faces, but by the end of term one they realise that throwing up into a pub toilet is looked down upon, it’s embarrassing, and nobody likes it. We develop and create a culture of sensible drinking.

TN: So what you’re suggesting is that societies dedicated to drinking, which advocate and promote drinking, in fact play a role in making sure that immature students don’t drink.

TH: Well you can’t appreciate ale if you can’t talk about it, I think. You don’t drink yourself to a point where you can’t string a coherent sentence together. And alcohol’s not going to disappear any time soon. We need to choose where we want our drinking culture to go. In America, where alcohol is more generally frowned upon, students actually take more illegal drugs. Young people come to university with new-found freedom, and you’re not going to stop them exercising them. We need to teach young people to drink properly. If parents haven’t done it, it’s time for drinking societies to step into the fold. We build a sense of community through local pub landlords; we don’t throw up in their toilets, so they invite us back.

TN: How can you set yourself out from the numerous other drinking societies which seem to take the attitude that being sick is not only funny, but socially desirable too? Official drinking societies are just the acceptable face of this phenomenon.

TH: Look, that happens because they can’t handle their drink. I’m thinking of initiation ceremonies- particularly of certain sports societies who have been banned from the SU because of their excessive drinking. They’re drinking value vodka and the sort of rubbish you find in Kelsey’s Eliminator. The tragedy is that they’re not drinking alcohol because they enjoy it, but because culture demands it. We fight that culture.

TN: If drinking societies have this mythical power to reform reckless drinkers, why shouldn’t we have drugs societies on campus to perform a similar function. It’s the same justification.

TH: A regulated smack society meeting in the Terrace Bar every tuesday isn’t going to do anything to combat drug use on campus. The fact is, alcohol as a drug is culturally accepted, and it’s nowhere near as harmful as Class A drugs. To compare alcohol to the likes of cocaine is a little disingenuous.

TN: Your argument seems to be that you can help people drink themselves out of dangerous habits, but you’re claiming that it only works for alcohol. That’s a bit hypocritical.

TH: The point I’m making about that is many students come from households where there’s a negative attitude towards drinking. We teach people how to drink together as a social activity. If you go into the world of work and go out for a drink with your work mates, you don’t want to have one glass of wine and make a fool of yourself. We can teach appreciation and moderation through drinking societies like mine.

TN: If your role is to play parents to reckless drinkers on campus, why don’t you advertise yourselves as such, instead of as a forum for people who love alcohol?

TH: Well, actually, if you go on our website you’ll see that we’re all about beer styles and types of beer. We’re not pretending to be parents, rather we’re being responsible. It’s important that we drink to enjoy. Nobody goes to a beer tasting and drinks half a pint. That’s just naive.

TN: We obviously both accept that there’s a problem with British drinking culture. The difference between us is that you think the solution is to encourage people to drink more, and I think the solution is to encourage people to drink less.

TH: Not quite, I think we should drink smart, not more.