As a student myself (albeit not for much longer) I have to point out that binge-drinking isn't actually as big amongst students as the public seems to think. The culprits are usually first-years who have just left home and turned 18 and suddenly have legitimate access to alcohol, without parents waiting up for them etc. By 2nd year, even those who binge-drunk their way through 1st year are bored - and there are lots of us who've never felt it necessary to be semi-comatose to enjoy a night out - and by 3rd year you just don't have the time to be out drinking every night. I was allowed wine with meals and on special occasion from 16 at home, by the time I turned 18 there was no impetus to drink as much alcohol as I could find in celebration of my new-found 'adulthood'. The French have a similar attitude - perhaps that's a better approach and would cut down on binge-drinking students - which just leaves the older generation of 20&30-something binge-drinkers to sort out.