What is a MAAP?

A MAAP, or Medical Alcohol Amnesty Program for short, is a widespread and very popular policy enacted by student governments in colleges and universities around the nation. Generally, it states that if a student was intoxicated noticably beyond the legal limit and was in need of medical help, the student his/herself, nor those acting to seek this help will be judicated by the university against university policies. This is a wonderful policy, in my honest opinion, set in motion in large part, by our current student body president, Callie Boyd. However, there are some "ethical" questions about this policy. My research of this topic led me to the Temple University student newspaper, which said, "If you’re underage and out for a night of drinking, it’s best that you drink to the point of hospitalization so that you won’t be punished by Temple." This is an utterly rediculous statement, but does make you think. How can someone, though underage, caught responsibly and controllably drinking a beer and watching a movie get punitive consequences through the college they are attending, while someone drinking to the point of a coma is left scotch-free. As negative as these issues are, I feel that MAAPs are great ideas, due to the fact that alcohol consumption is instinctively almost a right of passage for college. And most, including myself, will spend three years consuming it illegally. I certainly wouldn't want anyone thinking twice if I was in need of hospitalization because they, or myself was underage.