Local experts warn college students of dangers tied to binge drinking

Jenna Wilson, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·2 min read

Sep. 18—A new environment and a new group of friends can also bring new — and dangerous — social pressures for college students.

According to a recent survey from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, students ages 18 to 22 have higher binge drinking rates than their peers who don't attend college.

Martha Greene, a counselor at the Family Guidance Center, explained why freshman may be particularly vulnerable to heavy drinking activity.

"This is their first time away from home and their first time being truly free with no structure," Greene said. "They're building new friendships and with that comes a lot of peer pressure to try new things."

The consequences of binge drinking may be more significant and destructive than many students realize, according to the NIAAA.

Each year, 696,000 students between the ages 18 and 24 are assaulted by a student who has been drinking.

The agency said some of the consequences of alcohol misuse among college students include deaths, sexual assault, alcohol use disorder and academic issues.

It can even be the gateway to using other substances.

"With binge drinking, you find yourself drinking more than you intended and with that comes along the hangovers," Greene said. "Then somebody offers you something that can help with hangovers, like marijuana, and it spirals out of control, then you've started down a path you didn't intend to start."

Greene also emphasized the importance of not picking up a drink after you've placed it down somewhere, which could lead to being drugged.

She said parents can assist in preventing alcohol abuse by having open communication with their kids about the risks.

"It's so important for parents to talk to their kids about making that transition from home to college and being a young adult," she said. "Everyone in the world doesn't have a good motive so make sure they understand who their friends are as well."

Jenna Wilson can be reached at jenna.wilson@newspressnow.com.