Alcohol & Alcohol Safety

Alcohol is the number one drug used on college campuses. According to the 1999 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study, 84% of college students drink alcohol.

Drinking alcohol has many consequences. See “Effects of Alcohol in your Blood” below.

Effects of Alcohol in Your Blood

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. How drinking affects your body and mind depends upon your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). BAC is related to how much alcohol you drink in a given period of time and your body weight.

% of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
Body Weight	Number of Drinks in Two Hours*
(lbs)	2	4	6	8	10
120	0.06	0.12	0.19	0.25	0.31
140	0.05	0.11	0.16	0.21	0.27
160	0.05	0.09	0.14	0.19	0.23
180	0.04	0.08	0.13	0.17	0.21
200	0.04	0.08	0.11	0.15	0.19

BAC	Effects
0.05%	Relaxed state. Judgment is not as sharp. Release of tension; carefree feeling.
0.08%**	Inhibitions are lessened.
0.10%**	Movements and speech are clumsy.
0.20%	Very drunk. Can be hard to understand. Emotions can be unstable. 100 times greater risk for traffic accident.
0.40%	Deep sleep. Hard to wake up. Not able to make voluntary actions.
0.50%	Can result in coma and/or death
* 1 drink equals 11/2 ounces 80-proof hard liquor, 12 ounces beer, or 5 ounces wine. ** Some states use 0.08 as the lowest indicator of driving while intoxicated. Some use 0.10.

Alcohol Poisoning

	Call 911 for one or more of the following signs of alcohol poisoning or combining alcohol and other drugs, such as sedatives or tranquilizers. Act quickly. Alcohol poisoning can be fatal.
	Unconsciousness. This means the person is hard to rouse and can’t be made aware of his or her surroundings. This can be brief, such as with fainting or blacking out. It can put a person into a coma.
	No breathing or slow and shallow breathing. This means 10 or fewer breaths per minute or time lapses of more than 8 seconds between breaths.
	Slow pulse rate (40 or fewer beats per minute)
	Skin that is cold, clammy, and/or pale or blue in color

{Note: Before emergency care arrives, place the person on his or her side with the knees bent, to prevent choking, if he or she vomits. Loosen the person’s clothing around the neck and check the mouth and back of the throat to see that nothing obstructs the person’s breathing. Stay with the person.}

Alcohol Safety Tips

	Choose substance-free housing, if available and desired. With this type of housing, you give up being able to drink in your room.
	Be aware and think about the risks and consequences of drinking, including getting arrested, getting sick, contracting an STD, etc. One incident of alcohol use could cause you to do something you will regret for the rest of your life. Alcohol plays a part in most sexual assaults.
	Don’t mix drinking with driving, drugs, or operating machines. Doing so can be fatal. Designate a sober driver.
	Don’t give in to peer pressure or drink because “everyone else does it.” Not everyone drinks. Hang out with people who are not drinking or drink non alcoholic beverages that look like “drinks.” Examples are orange juice, tonic water with lime, and non alcoholic beer in a glass.
	Drink alcohol only if you want to, and if you do: Know your limit and stick to it or don’t drink any alcohol. Drink slowly. You are apt to drink less. Nurse one drink during a party. Take fake sips, if necessary. In reality, anything over two drinks does not increase the feeling of pleasure. Drinking too much leads to being unable to enjoy yourself. Eat when you drink. Food helps to slow alcohol absorption. Alternate an alcoholic beverage with a non alcoholic one. Use non alcohol or reduced alcohol beverages. Don’t drink distilled beverages straight. Dilute them. Use more and more mixer and less and less alcohol. After two drinks, your taste buds are dulled and you won’t be able to notice much difference. Don’t participate in drinking contests and games.

For Information, Contact:

Emergency Medical Service (Call 911) if you suspect alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose

Your school’s Student Health Service, Student Counseling Service, or Alcohol and other Drug Program

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Helpline
1-800-ALCOHOL (252-6465)
www.adcare.com

Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters (includes Alateen)
1-888-4AL-ANON (425-2666)
www.al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
www.aa.org

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
National Drug Treatment Referral Routing Service
1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
818-773-9999
www.na.org

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol & Drug Information (NCADI)
1-800-729-6686
www.health.org

Table of Contents

October 24, 2001