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CAMPUS
DRINKING
By Chandra R. Thomas EXPLORING THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS
Features Editor _____
Darryl Harper* (realname
withheld to protect identity) a,
junior biology major at
Morehouse College, is normal
ly a soft-spoken introvert, but
two Zimas (malt liquor), two
shots of brandy, and a half a
bottle of champagne later, he’s
the life of the party.
After two hours into his 21st
birthday bash, he has enter
tained his friends with a James
Brown imitation, kicked off his
socks, discarded his sweater
and danced with nearly every
girl in the room.
Four hours later he has
sprawled out on the floor in a
corner of the room amidst the
other sleeping partygoers who
also have celebrated the occa
sion with a few drinks.
By 4 a.m he could barely
walk. It took him 15 minutes to
put his sweater back on and
even longer to replace his
socks.
This is just one scenario of a
larger epidemic that continues
to plague college campuses
throughout the country.
A peek into many dormitory
rooms may turn up a few empty
Photo by Christian Gooden
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), stu
dent drinking remains the number one health problem on the nation’s col
lege and university campuses.
How Do I Know If I Have A
Drinking Problem?
Chances are if you’re even asking the question, you
have a drinking problem. But here are some other
factors:
,you
frequently wind up drunk
the “life of the party"
•a change in personality--does drinking turn you
fromDr. Jekyl to Mr, Hyde?
• a high tolerance ievei—you can drink just about
everybody under the table
« blackoufs-
happened when you were drinking
your drinking '
beer cans and bottles filled with
one of many alcoholic bever
ages.
According to the Department
of Health and Human Services
(HHS), student drinking
remains the number one health
problem on the nation’s college
and university campuses.
A Harvard study released last
year of 1,669 college freshmen
found a radical increase in stu
dents drinking to get drunk,
since 1977. One college stu
dent in three drinks to get
drunk. *
According to the College
Youth Prevention Guide, a
booklet distributed by the
health department, for the over
12 million college students in
the U.S., the annual consump
tion of alcoholic beverages
totals well over 430 million
gallons.
To visualize this, imagine an
Olympic-sized swimming pool
filled with beer, wine and dis
tilled spirits. In a single year,
the student body of each col
lege in the'country-roughly
3,500 college students- drinks
the equivalent of one pool.
According to that same
report, in 1987, American hos
pitals had discharged 91,000 of
the 18-to 25-year-old age group
with at least one alcohol-related
illness. These hospital dis
charges reflect only the alco
hol-related diseases caused by
prolonged and/or heavy drink
ing, and do not include alcohol-
related injuries.
Other HHS statistics note that
alcohol-related traffic fatalities
remain the number one killer of
youths ages 16 to 24 resulting
in half of 3,361 such deaths in
1990.
A survey conducted by the
University of Michigan,
reported that 43 percent of col
lege students have indulged in
“binge drinking,” consuming
five to six drinks in one sitting.
Why do they drink?
Such alarming statistics may
question the relationship
between college life and
Continued PI5
Quick Facts
1. Know the law. Alcohol
is illegal to buy or possess if
you are under 21.
2. Get the facts right.
One 12-ounce beer nas
as much alcohol as a
1.5-ounce shot of
whiskey or a 5-ounce
glass of wine.
3. Stay informed. Wine
coolers look like juice
sparklers but they have
just as much alcohol as
a 12-ounce beer.
4. Be aware of the risks.
Drinking increases the
risk of injury. Car crash
es, falls, burns, drowning
and suicide are all
linked to alcohol and
other drug use.
5. Keep your edge.
Alcohol can ruin your
looks, give you bad
breath and make you
gain weight.
6. Play it safe. Drinking
can lead to intoxication
and even death.
7. Do the smart thing.
Drinking puts your
health, education, fami
ly ties and social life at
risk.
8. Be a real friend. If
you know someone with
a drinking problem, be
part of the solution.
Urge your friend to get
help.
9. Remain alert. Stay
clear on claims that
alcohol means glamour
and adventure. Stay
clear on what's real and
what's illusion.
10. Sweep away the
myths. Having a desig
nated driver is no
excuse to drink.
Drinking only at home,
or sticking only to beer
does not make drinking
any "safer."
' 4 'A miH.M.Mr 'y