College drinking: What parents need to know

Pre-gaming, beer pong and jello shots are as much a part of college life as fraternities, football and finals. Will your student drink? The answer is probably yes so, as his parent, there are some important things you need to know.

What's the big deal?

The big deal is this: It is estimated that drinking by college students aged 18-24 contributes to an estimated 1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 97,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape each year. Those are serious consequences. That bears repeating: 1,700 student deaths, 599,000 injuries, and 97,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape each year. And that's not all. Unsafe sex is a big problem too. Research indicates that some 400,000 students reported unprotected sex after drinking and another 100,000 report having been too drunk to know if they consented to sex. And there's significant issues with health/suicide, property damage, drunk driving and vandalism.

What is your college's alcohol policy?

Most colleges and universities no longer turn a blind eye to underage drinking and have instituted strict policies on consumption and particularly on the sale of alcohol to a minor. A 2002 Task Force on College Drinking, supported by the National Institutes of Alcohol Abuse, put in motion an extensive series of prevention and awareness programs that have been adopted by hundreds of colleges.

You and your child should be aware of his college's policies regarding alcohol. Check the school's website, or for a state-by-state listing, go to www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/policies, as policies vary by school. In Virginia, George Mason University prohibits alcohol in any first year residential area, regardless of age of the freshman. James Madison University's policy reminds students that underage possession or purchase of alcohol is punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a fine of $2500, or both and possible loss of a driver's license for up to a year. The University of Virginia has an extensive policy regarding alcohol on campus; their student-athletes are subject to additional policies as well.

It's academic

As a parent, you should know this startling statistic: about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for their second year.

While there are many reasons why kids leave college, alcohol can be one of them.
About a quarter of college students end up with problems in school due to drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall. Experts urge parents to be especially vigilant to your freshman's experiences during the first six weeks of the fall semester. All of that new-found free time and easy access to alcohol sometimes leads to excessive drinking. Drinking too much interferes with adapting to campus life in all kinds of ways.

Teach, don't preach

You may not be able to moderate your child's drinking in any direct way but you can help him to understand the possible consequences of irresponsible drinking. Put preaching aside and start teaching. Make sure he or she knows how alcohol can lead to date rape and violence. Teach him and especially her about BAC (blood alcohol content) and how it relates to their size. Make certain he knows the law and penalties for:
underage drinking
public drunkenness
using a fake id
driving under the influence

For more info:

A comprehensive website on college drinking, with statistics, research, college policies, education and awareness programs, a BAC calculator and more: www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov

Article obtained from: http://www.examiner.com/x-16039-DC-Parenting-College-Students-Examiner~y2009m7d20-College-drinking-binge-drinking-student-use-and-abuse

Goodhue CHI Council Picnic

The Goodhue Chemical Health Initiative Council sponsored a Picnic on Monday July 13, 2009. Over 100 people attended for free food, door prizes, volleyball, and bean bag toss. Howie was also there to join in on the fun!

Higher Alcohol Intake Associated with More Hospitalizations

A study of 6,000 men ages 35 to 64 found that the more alcohol the men drank, the more time they spent in the hospital, Forbes reported July 1.
The Scottish study, which began in the early 1970s, divided the men into six groups: no alcohol use; 1 to 7 units consumed per week; 8 to 14 units a week; 15 to 21 units a week; 22 to 34 units a week; and 35 or more units a week or more. The researchers defined a unit of alcohol as a half-pint of beer or a 4-ounce glass of wine.
The researchers found that men who drank more than 22 units of alcohol a week had a 20-percent higher hospital-admission rate than non-drinkers, while the heaviest drinkers stayed 58 percent longer in the hospital than non-drinkers. Even relatively low levels of alcohol consumption were associated with longer hospitals stays, with the length of stay increasing as consumption did, the researchers found.
The study also found that the men who drank 15 units of alcohol a week had increased numbers of hospital admissions for stroke, and that these admissions also increased the more the men drank.
The researchers found that the men who drank 22 or more units a week had more hospital admissions for respiratory illness, but they also had the lowest admission rates for coronary heart disease, while the non-drinkers had the highest rates of admission for coronary heart disease.
Men who drank 22 or more units per week had more admissions for mental-health problems, researchers found, but non-drinkers had higher rates of admissions for mental-health problems than those who drank 1 to 14 units of alcohol a week.
Article Summary obtained from: http://jech.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/jech.2008.079764v1

NIDA Study Shows School-Based Prevention Program Reduces Problem Behaviors in Fifth Graders By Half

A study suggests that school-based prevention programs begun in elementary school can significantly reduce problem behaviors in students. Fifth graders who previously participated in a comprehensive interactive school prevention program for one to four years were about half as likely to engage in substance abuse, violent behavior, or sexual activity as those who did not take part in the program. The study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health, will appear in the August 2009 print issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The online version of the article is viewable today.

"This study provides compelling evidence that intervening with young children is a promising approach to preventing drug use and other problem behaviors," said NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow. "The fact that an intervention beginning in the first grade produced a significant effect on children's behavior in the fifth grade strengthens the case for initiating prevention programs in elementary school, before most children have begun to engage in problem behaviors.

"The study was conducted in 20 public elementary schools in Hawaii. Participating schools had below-average standardized test scores and diverse student populations with an average of 55 percent of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches.

The intervention tested was Positive Action (PA), a comprehensive K-12 social and emotional development program for enhancing behavior and academic achievement. Schools were randomly assigned from matched pairs to implement PA or not. The program consists of daily 15-20 minute interactive lessons focusing on such topics as responsible self-management, getting along with others, and self-improvement. At schools implementing the intervention, these lessons occupied a total of about one hour a week beginning in the first or second grade.

In fifth grade, 976 students (most aged 10 or 11) responded to a written questionnaire that asked about their use of substances, including tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs; involvement in violent behaviors, such as carrying a knife or threatening someone; and voluntary sexual activity. The total number of students reporting that they had engaged in any of these behaviors was small. Strikingly, however, students exposed to the PA program were about half as likely to report engaging in any of these behaviors as students not exposed to PA. Among students who were exposed to PA, those who had received the lessons for three or more years reported the lowest rates of experience with any of these problem behaviors.

"This study demonstrates that a comprehensive, school wide social and character development program can have a substantial impact on reducing problem behaviors of public health importance in elementary-school-age youth,"said Dr. Brian Flay of Oregon State University, the study's principal investigator.

PA is an interactive program that integrates teacher/student contact and opportunities for the exchange of ideas as well as feedback and constructive criticism. The program is school wide and involves teachers and parents as well as students. It takes a positive, holistic approach to social and emotional development rather than focusing on the negative aspects of engaging in substance abuse and violence. Finally, at one hour a week, students' exposure to the program was intensive. "These features likely account for the large effect observed,"concluded Dr. Flay.

Dr. Flay plans to conduct a follow-up study to determine whether the beneficial effects of the PA program on fifth graders are sustained, as the children grow older.

Article obtained from: http://www.cadca.org/CoalitionsOnline/article.asp?id=2229

Cousin gets jail for giving driver alcohol

An Ogilvie, Minn., woman was sentenced to 90 days in jail for providing alcohol to the underage driver in a fatal crash.

By PAT PHEIFER, Star Tribune
June 17, 2009

Tonya Rae Swanson wasn't in the car that rear-ended another vehicle at an intersection in Blaine, killing Bradley F. Lyver, 29, the night of Sept. 28. But she provided alcohol for the 19-year-old driver, who was drunk and behind the wheel.

In a victim-impact statement read at Swanson's sentencing hearing Wednesday in Ramsey County District Court, the victim's father, Paul Lyver, said Swanson has shown no remorse and, at least initially, refused to accept responsibility for her part in his son's death.

"We no longer have the son whom we adored, the children no longer have their father," said the statement read by Ana Allen, a certified student attorney representing the county attorney's office.

Swanson, 31, of Ogilvie, Minn., pleaded guilty April 23 to providing alcohol to an underage person resulting in death. District Judge Kathleen Gearin abided by the plea agreement and sentenced her to 90 days in jail and up to five years on probation.

A co-defendant, Daniel Lagace, 31, of New Brighton, pleaded guilty to the same charge and is to be sentenced July 27 by District Judge Edward Wilson. He also provided alcohol to Jennifer Swanson, Tonya Swanson's cousin.

Jennifer Swanson, also of Ogilvie, pleaded guilty April 6 in Anoka County District Court to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and is scheduled to be sentenced next Thursday by District Judge Lawrence Johnson.

According to the charges, said the female cousins met Lagace and his friend, Joseph Hammack, 18, on the Live Links telephone chat line. The women drove 53 miles from their home to Lagace's home, drinking grape-flavored wine coolers along the way. Jennifer Swanson later told police she drank eight or nine of the wine coolers bought by Tonya Swanson.

When they reached Lagace's home, Jennifer Swanson drove Lagace to the liquor store to buy a bottle of liquor. Lagace, Hammack and Jennifer Swanson drank about three-quarters of the bottle, Tonya Swanson told police.

An argument ensued after Jennifer Swanson and Lagace had sex, and she then began "making out" with Hammack, the criminal complaint said. Jennifer Swanson "went storming to her vehicle but left her glasses behind," the complaint said.

At the intersection of Hwy. 65 and 93rd Lane NE., Jennifer Swanson rear-ended a car stopped at a red light. Lyver was a passenger in that car. The GPS system in Swanson's car said her top speed was 111 miles per hour, but it was unknown how fast she was going at the time of the crash.

Tonya Swanson sobbed as she stood beside her attorney, Christopher Zipko, at the sentencing hearing. The judge ordered her to turn herself in on July 6.

Article obtained from: http://www.startribune.com/local/north/48298512.html?page=2&c=y

Town grads allowed 10 drinks at party

By Lana Haight, The StarPhoenixJune 6, 2009

As high school graduation approaches, some people are asking what's safe about "safe grad" parties.
"Having 10 drinks in one evening would not be safe for many," said Colleen Dell, research chair in substance abuse in the sociology department at the University of Saskatchewan.
Next weekend, some parents of Lanigan Central High School graduates will host a "safe grad" party at an undisclosed location. Graduates planning to attend the Saturday night drinking party had to submit a form signed by their parents in advance of the party. The graduates had to pre-order and pre-pay for the alcohol they'll drink during the 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. party. Graduates and their guests, who have to be in Grade 10 or higher, will be allowed up to 10 drinks, including beer, vodka, rum and rye.
"That boggles the mind," said Diane Fontaine, president of the Saskatoon and area Mothers Against Drunk Driving. "It's pretty scary."
Having that many alcoholic drinks at one time is considered binge drinking, says Dell, who added the definition of binge drinking is five or more drinks.
"The idea of safe grad is around drinking and driving and keeping people alive," she said.
"Is that really the goal we want for our kids -- is to simply keep them alive?"
She worries the party will be the start of a drinking pattern that continues through the summer. The dangers of binge drinking include alcohol poisoning, violence and unprotected sex.
Coralea MacDonald, whose daughter will not be attending the party even though she is graduating, was surprised to learn of the "safe grad."
"It's illegal for anyone under 19 to drink alcohol," she said. "How can we do something illegal legally?"
Police are aware that "safe grad" parties happen in communities throughout Saskatchewan.
"The model that I'm referring to talks about where there is a parent or guardian on-site and they are making a decision, as the parent or guardian, for their child, in terms of whether or not they are going to provide them alcoholic beverages at that specific time, in that specific location, at a private place," explained RCMP Sgt. Brian Jones.
"It is an arrangement between private property owners and parents and guardians of those people in attendance. It's a private function on private land. Whether it's a good idea or not is not for us to decide," he said.
Allowing the graduates to drink large quantities of alcohol, even if they aren't driving, sets a bad example, says Fontaine, who adds MADD promotes drinking responsibly, which means adults drinking moderate amounts and then not driving.
"We don't like 'safe grads' because there is still drinking and it encourages underage drinking," said Fontaine.
MacDonald is disappointed parents are organizing the drinking party.
"As adults, I don't think we should say, 'Go for it and we'll watch you get drunk.'
"We're not trying to ruin everyone's fun," said MacDonald, who wishes the teenagers could celebrate their graduation without having to drink alcohol.
Officially, Lanigan graduates will celebrate with a ceremony and dinner on June 12, the day before the "safe grad." The school staff members are not involved in the "safe grad," says Ken Sogge, communications director for Horizon school division.
"They are illegal," he said in an interview.
"If parents choose that that's how they are going to celebrate the graduation of their child or their student, there's really nothing anybody can do about it."
One of the parents involved in the "safe grad" had no comment when contacted by The StarPhoenix and said none of the parent organizers wanted to be interviewed about the party.

Article from: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Town+grads+allowed+drinks+party/1669392/story.html

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The Prevention Paradox and a Public Health Approach to College Student Drinking

Tobin Nelson, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
May 21, 2009

Heavy use of alcohol is the third leading cause of mortality in the United States, accounting for nearly 80,000 deaths on an annual basis.[1] Heavy drinking is a particular problem among young people who attend college.

More than four in five college students drink alcohol and they tend to drink more heavily than older adults and their peers who do not attend college.[2-4] Beyond the risk of death, drinking causes a wide range of serious negative health and social consequences for college students who drink and for those around them.[4] These negative consequences need to be prevented.
While the problems associated with college student drinking are well-documented, effective solutions remain elusive. Despite concerted effort over the past decade, no significant improvements in student alcohol use and negative consequences have been observed.[4-6]. The lack of progress to date in reducing student alcohol use is due, in part, to a failure to consider the problem from a Public Health, or population, perspective. This research brief describes the empirical basis for a fundamental concept supporting a Public Health approach, the Prevention Paradox, as it relates to college student drinking. These data motivate a subsequent discussion of "high-risk" and "population" approaches to addressing the problem of student drinking, with direct implications for prevention practice.

See the full research brief at: http://www.sph.umn.edu/about/pubs/brief/home.html