Herbert Reeves, dean of student services, sent a campuswide email on March 5 informing students that fake IDs will be more strictly monitored by local vendors. Recently, the use of fake IDs has become more rampant among students and has stirred business owners to be more vigilant when inspecting IDs.
The issue of fake IDs does not only pose a threat to the students using them, but also to the owners of businesses that unknowingly accept the IDs. When businesses accept these IDs as real, they put the businesses in danger and also the owners. Owners who are caught accepting fake IDs can lose business licenses, which can put the livelihood of the owners in jeopardy. Many local business owners rely solely on their establishments for day-to-day survival and cannot afford to have it all taken away.
A study performed by The National Institute of Health showed that “56 percent of youths who reported borrowing or using a fake ID also reported weekly use of alcohol … Based upon existing cross-sectional research, we hypothesize that fake ID ownership and heavy drinking reciprocally influence each other; heavier drinkers are more likely to obtain fake IDs, and fake IDs increase the likelihood of drinking.”
The problem is not merely one of legality but also one of health. Underaged drinkers are more likely to over-drink and succumb to alcohol poisoning or other alcohol-related illnesses. Peer pressure plays a large role in the decision to purchase fake IDs, especially among the Greek community. The NIH website noted in a 2007 study that Greeks are more likely than other college students to use a fake ID. By the end of their second year of college, 56.66 percent of Greek men and 15.59 percent of non-Greek men owned a fake ID. For women, the statistic reads that 59.02 percent of Greek women and 19.80 of non-Greek women owned a fake ID.
Greek students are normally held to a higher standard than other students because of their leadership roles on campuses. Based on the statistics presented, the Greek community is not only choosing to endanger its members and posing a risk to the community but is also breaking the law.
When it comes to the cost and importance of college, it seems outrageous to think that students would throw away the time and effort for a fake ID. College is expensive; we all know that. So why risk a possible fine of up to $500 along with imprisonment and the loss of a motor vehicle license?
Along with sacrificing an education, students caught using fake IDs also run the risk of sabotaging future job opportunities. A criminal record will always loom over your head. It is one of the first things an employer will notice and will, more often than not, cost you a job. Students attend college in order to make a prosperous future for themselves and to increase their earning potential. If a student is convicted of using a fake ID, the work done to achieve a higher education is virtually wasted.
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