Binge drinking in college on the rise

[faba]

Report: Binge Drinking Rises at Colleges

By JUSTIN POPE, AP Education Writer

document.write(getElapsed("20070315T042344Z"));Thu Mar 15, 0:23 AMUPDATED 7 HOURS 42 MINUTES AGO

Substance abuse on college campuses is nothing new, but it is taking a more extreme and dangerous form, with higher rates of frequent binge drinking and prescription drug abuse, and more negative consequences for students such as arrests and risky sexual behavior.

That's the portrait painted by a new, comprehensive report tying together a range of recent research on college substance abuse, supplemented with some of its own new survey data.

The report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, argues substance abuse isn't an inevitable rite of passage for young adults. Rather, it argues a particular culture of excessive consumption has flourished on college campuses, and calls on educators to take bolder stands against students and alumni to combat it.

"If they make this a priority they can do something about it," said Joseph Califano, chairman and president of the center, who among other steps called on colleges and the NCAA to stop allowing alcohol advertising during high-profile events like the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

The report, being released Thursday, relies largely on research that has already appeared in various forms, but assembles it to emphasize findings particular to college students.

Among the highlights:

_ The proportion of students who drink (about 68 percent) and binge drink (40 percent) has changed little since 1993. But there have been substantial increases in the number of students who binge drink frequently (take five drinks at a time, three or more times in two weeks), who drink 10 or more times a month, and who get drunk three or more times in a month.

_ Though still used by far fewer students than alcohol, hundreds of thousands more students are abusing prescription drugs including Ritalin, Adderall and OxyContin than during the early 1990s. The proportion of students using marijuana daily has more than doubled to about 4 percent.

_ Analyzing outside survey data, the Center calculated 23 percent of college students meet the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence. That's about triple the proportion in the general population.

Young adults in general have higher abuse rates, so a higher rate for college students is to be expected. But other research indicates that college students drink more than high school peers who don't go to college, said Henry Wechsler of the Harvard School of Public Health, who published similar findings in 2002.

Both researchers involved in the report and outside experts say they have seen troubling changes in how students drink in recent years.

"The percentage of kids who drink and binge drink is essentially the same between 1993 and 2005, but the intensity of the drinking has dramatically changed," Califano said. "There's an intensity to the consumption we see here that we don't see in the general population."

At the University of Kentucky, longtime administrator Victor Hazard says he too has noticed a change, with more students drinking simply to get drunk.

"To the extent there is such a thing as a social drinker, it was more of a meet-and-greet type of environment in the earlier years when I was here," said Hazard, Kentucky's associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

Now, he said, students are "drinking to become intoxicated as fast as they possibly can."

Carol Falkowski, director of research communications for the Hazelden Foundation, an addiction treatment and research group, said too many students are getting the message that excessive drinking is OK.

"It's getting more intense," she said. "Drinking games that were happening in private parties or houses or bonfires 10 years ago are now happening in public venues. That to me reflects a sort of larger acceptance of extreme drinking."

College administrators often say they know campus substance abuse is a problem but say there is little they can do.

But the report's authors say it's a question of commitment.

"Things do work, it's just having the will and time and money to implement them," said Roger Vaughan, a Columbia biostatistician involved in the report. "People need to step up and realize this is not a rite of passage, this is not something we should tolerate. If it keeps going, we're going to destroy our best and brightest."

[Bob]

There sure wasn't any binge drinking when I was in college 25 years ago. Nope. Not a bit.

Does anyone really think things have changed much?

[Panzer Division Marduk]

There sure wasn't any binge drinking when I was in college 25 years ago. Nope. Not a bit.

Does anyone really think things have changed much?

Yes. Pointless studies and surveys have increased by 5,986.51% since then.

[Maxman]

I had this college roommate that would make fun of me for not partying. He tried every day to get me to do drugs with him. I told him to go f himself because I was even more unfun and way more uptight back then.

Anyhow he failed out after 1 semester. Fast forward to senior year -- the last semester. I see him walking int a night class. He said he was trying to clean his act up and was now working a crappy job full time and going to school at night. It was going to take him forever to get his degree. It made me laugh.

What's my point? I don't have one. Never do. I do find it hard to believe that binge drinking has gone up though. Wasn't like the bar was set low or anything.

[Mavrik]

In other news, the sky is blue

Of course, a person like myself at a school with such a high academic reputation would never resort to binge drinking.

[Maxman]

In other news, the sky is blue

Of course, a person like myself at a school with such a high academic reputation would never resort to binge drinking.

Mav,

It is before noon. What are you doing up?

[joewilly]

Mav,

It is before noon. What are you doing up?

is this per the jn clock?

[ECURB]

What are they using to define "binge drinking" becuase our government thinks...

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#11

What is binge drinking?

According to the

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

binge drinking is defined as a pattern of alcohol consumption that brings the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08% or above. This pattern of drinking usually corresponds to more than 4 drinks on a single occasion for men or more than 3 drinks on a single occasion for women, generally within about 2 hours (3).

If they are going based on that... 4 drinks....

[mangenious420]

I love beer and liquor.

[faba]

As others have stated kids in their college years are at the height of drinking .

[drago]

Beer makes them prettier, and gives them personailty all at once. No other product can offer this.

[ECURB]

Beer makes them prettier, and gives them personailty all at once. No other product can offer this.

lol

[mangenious420]

Beer makes them prettier, and gives them personailty all at once. No other product can offer this.

Aint that the truth.

[JerryK]

I for one barely drank at all during college.

Of course, I was in the Navy 6yrs prior to that....

[Mavrik]

Mav,

It is before noon. What are you doing up?

lol. Well in one month's time, I'll no longer be able to call myself a college student, so I'll have to join the rest of your working stiffs.

[Maxman]

If I forget remind me. I want to make fun of you.

[faba]

lol. Well in one month's time, I'll no longer be able to call myself a college student, so I'll have to join the rest of your working stiffs.

Joining the real world now Mavrik-no more drinking expeditions with Brad Johnson huh.

[Mavrik]

Joining the real world now Mavrik-no more drinking expeditions with Brad Johnson huh.

Yep. Looks like I'll have to find some other QBs to go drinking with. Maybe Chad will want to go do some drinking, but I'd probably have to find a new beer pong partner because Chad would probably underthrow the ball on some of those long-distance cup shots.

[Cant Hackett]

We didn