Fall Semester - A Time For Parents To Discuss The Risks Of College Drinking

As college students arrive on
campus this fall, it's a time of new experiences, new friendships, and
making memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately for many, it is
also a time of excessive drinking and dealing with its aftermath-vandalism,
violence, sexual aggression, and even death.



According to research summarized in a College Task Force report to the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the
consequences of excessive drinking by college students are more
significant, more destructive, and more costly than many parents realize.
And these consequences affect students whether or not they drink.



Statistics from this report, which were updated recently, indicate that
drinking by college students aged 18 to 24 contributes to an estimated
1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 97,000 cases of sexual assault
or date rape each year.



Early Weeks Are Critical



As the fall semester begins, parents can use this important time to
help prepare their college-age sons and daughters by talking with them
about the consequences of excessive drinking.



Some first-year students who live on campus may be at particular risk
for alcohol misuse. During their high school years, those who go on to
college tend to drink less than their non-college-bound classmates.
However, during subsequent years, the heavy drinking rates of college
students surpass those of their non-college peers.



This rapid increase in heavy drinking over a relatively short period of
time can contribute to serious difficulties with the transition to college.



Anecdotal evidence suggests that the first 6 weeks of the first
semester are critical to a first-year student's academic success. Because
many students initiate heavy drinking during these early days of college,
the potential exists for excessive alcohol consumption to interfere with
successful adaptation to campus life. The transition to college is often
difficult and about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for
their second year.



Parents Can Help



During these crucial early weeks, parents can do a variety of things to
stay involved. They can inquire about campus alcohol policies, call their
sons and daughters frequently, and ask about roommates and living
arrangements.



They should also discuss the penalties for underage drinking as well as
how alcohol use can lead to date rape, violence, and academic failure.



Resources Are Available



For parents who want to talk to their college-age sons and daughters
about the consequences of college drinking, a variety of helpful resources
are available from NIAAA.



A special guide for parents offers research-based information plus
helpful advice on choosing the right college, staying involved during the
freshman year, and getting assistance if faced with an alcohol-related
crisis.



The Task Force's award-winning website,
collegedrinkingprevention, features this guide along with links to
alcohol policies at colleges across the country, an interactive diagram of
the human body and how alcohol affects it, an interactive alcohol cost
calculator, and the full text of all Task Force materials.


National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

collegedrinkingprevention