2008 Woodie Awards
Life's a Party Until Someone Gets Hurt
As the Drinking Age Act of 1984 reaches its own twenty-first birthday, alcohol-relaed injuries are on the rise.
Anna Goldberg
Issue date: 4/27/05 Section: News
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"The frontal lobe of our brain is still not fully developed in an adolescent mind," said Michael Gardner, psychology professor at Valley College. "Alcohol can interfere with its development and have a long-term effect on problem solving, memory, language, judgment and impulse control."
Fatal alcohol-related accidents among college students ages 18-24 increased from about 1,500 in 1998 to more than 1,700 in 2001. Over the same period, national surveys indicate the number of students who drove drunk increased by 500,000; from 2.3 million to 2.8 million, according to a recent report released by the National Institutes of Health.
"This paper underscores what we had learned from another recent study - that excessive alcohol use by college-aged individuals in the United States is a significant source of harm," said director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Ting-Kai Li, MD, in a news release.
NIAAA also reports that each year, alcohol consumption by college students results in 600,000 assaults, 500,000 accidental injuries and 70,000 sexual assaults in the United States.
While Valley's code of conduct prohibits alcohol on campus, drinking is more prevalent at four-year schools because of dorms, according to campus police.
"Here at Valley College we haven't had any problems with alcohol on campus because none of the students actually live here," said Deputy Bishop at Valley's Sheriff's Department. "Universities have dorms, as well at fraternity and sorority houses so there are a lot of parties."
And on college campus, parties equal alcohol.
After spending the entire night binge drinking, Samantha Spady, a 19-year-old Colorado State University student, was left alone in an abandoned room of a fraternity house to sleep off the excessive amount of alcohol she consumed over the course of the night.
Thirteen hours later she was found dead with a blood alcohol level of 0.436 percent. That's more then five times the legal driving level in the state.
Less than a month later, a 19-year-old fraternity pledge at the University of Oklahoma died at the Sigma Chi fraternity house with a 0.42 blood alcohol level.
These are only two of many recent incidents resulting in injury or death due to excessive alcohol consumption.
Alcohol abuse has also been linked to numerous health problems surrounding the heart, liver and stomach, and may also lead to irreversible brain damage.
Most colleges offer a variety of programs to help students with alcohol and substance abuse. Valley's Student Health Center, located in the North Gym, provides free psychological services and resources to assist students who may need help or information about alcohol abuse and treatment.
