Drinkers put Aggies at risk
Students who drink may have to learn lessons the hard way.
Jana Carling, the prevention specialist at the Student Health and Wellness Center, said alcohol affects those who drink it as well as those who don’t.
“Alcohol can have such an impact on a person’s life,” she said. “Even for those that don’t use alcohol, there are burdens. They may have friends or family who use it, so it’s important to know about it’s effects.”
The center sponsored a chalk art contest Tuesday night about alcohol use, and the school is participating in a national writing competition on alcohol abuse issues.
About 18 million Americans have alcohol problems, and one-fourth of all emergency room admissions, one-third of suicides and more than half of all homicides and domestic violence reports are alcohol-related, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
In addition, heavy drinking contributes to heart disease, cancer and stroke, the three leading causes of death in the United States. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading known cause of mental retardation.
Every day, an average of 300 Americans die from alcohol-associated causes, and the total amount of alcohol consumed averages 56 gallons of beer per person per year, according to information provided by the center.
It is important for drinkers and non-drinkers alike to understand the physical effects of alcoholism, especially alcohol poisoning, Carling said.
“Even if you don’t drink, chances are you’ll have to take care of someone who does,” she said.
If someone has been drinking too much, his breathing may be shallow, slow and irregular, and his skin may be blue or pale, she said. If he has passed out and can’t be woken up or has stopped breathing, he should be rushed to the emergency room.
There is a strong connection between alcoholism and sexual assault and violence, Carling said.
“Alcohol’s linked to a lot of society’s problems. On college campuses, acquaintance rapes have a high association with alcohol, and there is a strong connection between alcohol use and violence,” she said. “For those that use alcohol, it can affect their memory, ability to perform well in school and financial
matters.”
Alcohol affects people who aren’t drinking. Drunk fans being disruptive at a football game, unwanted sexual advances, the interruption of sleep or studies, property damage, or having to take care of someone who is drunk can all affect students who don’t drink, Carling said.
“People on our campus suffer from the disease of alcoholism, and others who don’t drink suffer the effects of it,” she said.
About 20 percent of USU students drink alcohol, and 8 percent drink to get drunk, Carling said.
Dallin Phillips, the campus judicial officer, said alcohol is a problem at Utah State, not because of the numbers who use it, but because those who do drink tend to be binge drinkers.
Because Utah State is a dry campus, students who are caught with alcohol are referred to the center to go through a six-week alcohol education class, Phillips said. If a student is under 21, a new federal law allows the university to contact his parents about the offense. At USU, parents are contacted on the second offense or the first offense if the student endangered himself or others, he said.
Also, students who are under 21 and caught with alcohol will probably get a ticket as a minor in possession of alcohol from campus police before being referred to Phillips, Carling said.
If alcoholism becomes a problem with a student, he could be expelled, but the alcohol education class is very effective, and Phillips doesn’t get many repeat referrals, he said.
“Most students learn their lesson,” he said. “Only 2 percent of those that go through the program return there.”
About 100 students each year go through the classes, and this year will be no different, Carling said.
The night of the Howl is when students get into trouble with alcohol the most because they are out in public, she said.
“Every year during the Howl, several people drink to excess and end up in the emergency room,” she said. “The ambulances make several runs to campus. There are probably more people that are out and about with their alcohol use than at any other time.”
For more information about the writing contest or the effects of alcohol use, visit the center. Facts from the council are available online at www.ncadd.org.
-kcartwright@cc.usu.edu