Released May 13, 2009
STILLWATER, Okla. – Despite what youth see on television, youthful drinking is not a normal part of development or a rite of passage to adulthood.
Irresponsible drinking has very severe consequences.
“It is important for people to consider 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes,” said Ron Cox, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension family science specialist. “In addition, 599,000 students in this age group are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol.”
Cox lists additional facts from research on alcohol of which youth and parents need to be aware. He states that for college students between the ages of 18 and 24 each year:
- More than 696,000 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
- More than 97,000 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
- Approximately 400,000 had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex.
- About 25 percent report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall.
- More than 150,000 develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 percent and 1.5 percent indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.
- Approximately 2.1 million drove at least on one occasion under the influence of alcohol last year.
- About 11 percent report that they have damaged property while under the influence of alcohol.
- An estimated 110,000 are arrested for an alcohol-related violation such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence.
- Around 31 percent met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months.
“Irresponsible drinking is not a joke,” Cox said. “Literally thousands of lives are lost and many more are injured or endure multiple hardships as the result of irresponsible drinking. Unfortunately many people don’t realize they are drinking too much, and that the amount they drink puts them at risk for injury, illness, and possibly addiction. If an adult male is averaging more than 2 drinks a day, or more than 5 drinks on any one occasion (somewhat less for women), they are at risk for developing an alcohol related disorder.”
If you are drinking too much or know someone who is, do not be afraid to ask for assistance. Talk to your primary care physician, a minister, a close friend, or contact your local Extension office for the nearest program. It may be the first step to saving your life, or someone else’s.
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Contact: Katie Reim, 405-744-6792, katie.reim@okstate.edu
