Gordon Brown's policy team are considering whether the Higher Education Funding Council should ban universities from encouraging excessive drinking among students in the first few weeks of term.

Professor Oliver James, a Newcastle University liver disease specialist, was in a team of experts who presented proposals to the government.

Students' Union Welfare Officer, Tom Bramall, said: "When you come to university the primary aim of Intro Week is to find friends and form friendships. One way is through drinking but it's not the same for all students.

"Sometimes we can get into a downwards spiral in a community when we get drunk because it seems cool, and actually we don't have to do that. But everyone, including myself, enjoys a drink!"

Many societies and clubs across the country have been accused of luring new members with cheap drinks offers.

Professor James, a Drinkaware Trust patron, said: "Students are being positively encouraged to go out and get blind drunk for a fortnight during freshers' week.

"This kind of practice just imprints the binge drinking culture. It is no longer just for a week and it is no longer just for freshers: all students take part. Universities need a new policy on this."

But Rupert Dell, head of programming at The Leadmill nightclub in Sheffield, stated: "We don't promote binge drinking, we promote a good night out.

"We are helping people having a good time and being able to go out. People want to have a good time. They can make their own decision on how much drink."

Sheffield biochemistry student Fiona Bailey, 19, added: "For most students, going to university is the first time they have tasted freedom and lived away from their parents, and so are able to go out and get drunk every night.

"Freshers' week is like a learning curve, as after seven days of partying people feel exhausted and generally cut down the amount of times they go out."

However first-year Deepak Mahtani, 18, pointed out that for many students, the first week or two is more about meeting other freshers.
He said: "Freshers' week is not about drinking to get drunk, but to go out with new people and get to know them over a few drinks.
Many politicians, such as home secretary Jacqui Smith and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, still recall their university drinking days with fond memories.

Tory leader David Cameron, shadow chancellor George Osborne and Boris Johnson, were members of Oxford University's infamous drinking and dining society, the Bullingdon Club.

National Union of Students president, Gemma Tumelty, said: "The cabinet are thinking more about their days at university than the reality of the situation now.

"The income that student unions make from drink has declined so much that they are now changing bars into coffee and juice bars."
But the proposals are being backed by responsible drinking organisation the Portman Group, to be discussed in the spring.

This story is from the University of Sheffield's student paper, the Steel Press. Visit their webpage for more stories.