Binge Drinking in College Essay Example
Binge Drinking on College Campuses
Alcohol on American campuses has become a serious issue. In 2001, the total number of alcohol related deaths on college campuses was over 1700, while in 1998 the total was just less than 1600, and the number of students who reported that they had driven while intoxicated rose from 2.3 million to 2.8 million (Hingson 260). This statistic includes all college students, ages 18-24. That means some of the people involved in these incidents were underage. 1 out of every 4 students drinks at a binge level (Simons 24). This reflects the direction that the youth of America, as a whole, has taken. Part of the reason for this is that many college students do not know about the harmful effects of alcohol. They just don't know all the facts. Binge drinking has many harmful effects, both long term and short term, that all college students should know. First off, we need to know the definition of binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks for men, and for or more drinks for women (Jennison 660). After putting these numbers in a blood alcohol estimator, the average male, about 165 lbs, would have a BAC of approximately .09. This is legally intoxicated in all states. These numbers were achieved using beer as the type of alcohol. Had it been hard liquor, the number would have been higher. At this level of intoxication, all motor skills and judgment are affected adversely, leading to bad decisions as well as the physical inability to handle oneself. The negative short term affects of excessive drinking are numerous. Impaired vision, judgment, and speech are among the first and most obvious symptoms of drunkenness. Also, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and headaches are among the most common symptoms the next day, commonly referred to as a "hang over." The main problem with these short term affects is the impaired judgment and motor skills. When people are drunk, they can get very emotional, and
Alcohol on American campuses has become a serious issue. In 2001, the total number of alcohol related deaths on college campuses was over 1700, while in 1998 the total was just less than 1600, and the number of students who reported that they had driven while intoxicated rose from 2.3 million to 2.8 million (Hingson 260). This statistic includes all college students, ages 18-24. That means some of the people involved in these incidents were underage. 1 out of every 4 students drinks at a binge level (Simons 24). This reflects the direction that the youth of America, as a whole, has taken. Part of the reason for this is that many college students do not know about the harmful effects of alcohol. They just don't know all the facts. Binge drinking has many harmful effects, both long term and short term, that all college students should know. First off, we need to know the definition of binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks for men, and for or more drinks for women (Jennison 660). After putting these numbers in a blood alcohol estimator, the average male, about 165 lbs, would have a BAC of approximately .09. This is legally intoxicated in all states. These numbers were achieved using beer as the type of alcohol. Had it been hard liquor, the number would have been higher. At this level of intoxication, all motor skills and judgment are affected adversely, leading to bad decisions as well as the physical inability to handle oneself. The negative short term affects of excessive drinking are numerous. Impaired vision, judgment, and speech are among the first and most obvious symptoms of drunkenness. Also, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and headaches are among the most common symptoms the next day, commonly referred to as a "hang over." The main problem with these short term affects is the impaired judgment and motor skills. When people are drunk, they can get very emotional, and