1. Binge Drinking: A College Tradition

2. Binge Drinking Binge drinking is defined as having 5 or more drinks in a row for males and 4 or more for females.

3. College campuses are effected the most by binge drinking.

4. Fraternities and Sororities often promote binge drinking as fun and exciting.

5. Numerous campuses have dry fraternities and sororities to help fight their drinking problems, but many still engage in harmful drinking habits. Other programs have been implemented around the country to try to curb binge drinking.

6. binge drinking: National Averages Alcohol is a factor in 50-60% of student suicides. Almost 50% of college students binge drink.

7. binge drinking: More National averages 30% of male college athletes and 25% of female college athletes binge drink 3 or more times in a 2 week period. Private college binge drinking statistics are higher than the national average.

8. Are you a problem drinker? Here are some questions to ask yourself to find out if you or someone you know has a drinking problem.

9. Do you often forget what happened while you were "partying?" Do you drink or "party" alone?

10. Have others annoyed you by saying you drink too much? Do you drive while drunk?

11. Have you lost or dropped friends because of alcohol use? Have you ever missed class because you were too hung over to get up on time?

12. Do you drink to lose shyness or to build up self confidence? Do you think about drinking often?

13. If you answered yes to one of these questions, that should serve as a warning sign. • If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, then you are using alcohol in a harmful way. You should change your drinking habits or seek professional help.

14. Here are some T I P S on how to drink responsibly

15. Limit the number of drinks that you have in a short period of time • Dilute your drinks • Don’t play drinking games or take shots of hard liquor • Don’t drink without eating first

16. Alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones • Try not to drink “spiked” punch or other drinks with unknown amounts of alcohol • Don’t mix alcohol and other drugs; it increases the affects of both

17. Binge Drinking is an epidemic in our country and it is up to our generation to stop it.

18. References: • Nelson, T., Wechsler H. (2001). Alcohol and College Athletes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 33(1), 43-47. • Youth and Alcohol: Selected reports to the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Education. (1993) PH334 • 15 March 2001 <www.montana.edu> • 31 May 2001 <www.stmarys-ca.edu> • 2000 < www.uvm.edu/~pjunger/college.htm>