College Students and Alcohol
Students in College Can Make The Choice To Drink Responsibly
Aug 5, 2009
Not every student drinks alcohol, but according to the Core Institute of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 84% of the college students surveyed admitted to having alcohol at least once. No matter how one does the math, that means there are a lot of students having at least one drink while in college.
The idea of drinking responsibly can be found on advertisements for alcohol, in messages from parents and administrators. However what is rarely emphasized is that to drink responsibly requires forethought, exploration and knowledge.
There are actually several elements to drinking responsibly and for them to be effective, students have to apply them to their own situations and personal lives.
University Policies and Local Laws
Almost all colleges and universities have policies for students who drink to excess, or for students who drink and are underage. Some of these policies involve sanctions for students who violate them, resulting in fines, probation, mandatory counseling or attending educational classes about substance abuse.
The National Drinking Age Act is a federal law that sets 21 as the legal drinking. However, every state has laws that deal with possession and consumption of alcohol for underage drinkers. Students really need to explore the laws where they attend college. Consequences for violating Underage Drinking Laws can range from a ticket and fine, to arrest, probation and mandatory counseling.
Blood Alcohol Content (B.A.C.)
Drinking Under the Influence (DUI) laws and advertisements have helped most students to know that .08% is the legal indicator of intoxication in all states. What is often not known is how many drinks it takes to reach that level and what kinds of impairment happen at different B.A.C. levels.
Students should know that B.A.C. levels are based on several things: gender, weight, number of "Standard Drinks" and amount of alcohol in the drink. Standard drinks list the amount and percentage of alcohol for the different drinks. For example, a standard drink for beer in the United States is 12 ounces of 5% alcohol beer. So, drinking beer that is larger in volume or has less or more alcohol content can impact B.A.C.
There are many online B.A.C. Calculators that can give students an idea of how many drinks it takes before reaching the legal limit of .08%. There are also B.A.C. charts that outline the cognitive, emotional, and physical impairment students experience at each B.A.C. level.
Alcohol Poisoning
It is hard for many students to understand that drinking can lead to more serious consequences than hangovers. Alcohol poisoning occurs when large amounts of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time. This overload of alcohol shuts down the brain and if untreated can lead to coma and death.
One way to drink too much is to participate in binge drinking. Often this is done by playing drinking games such as Power Hour, Beer Bong, or consuming several shots of alcohol in a row.
Prevention is the best way to avoid alcohol poisoning, but when it does occur it is important to know the warning signs:
- Person is passed out and non-responsive
- Breathing is shallow and less than 10 breaths per minute
- Strong odor of alcohol on the breath
- Cold, pale or bluish skin
Call 911 immediately, follow directions given by the dispatcher and wait for the emergency personnel to arrive.
Drinking alcohol while in college is an option for most students. If students choose to drink it is important to do so in a way that is not harmful to themselves or others. Responsible drinking is the only way to drink alcohol.
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