BINGE DRINKING STILL CLIMBING AT COLLEGES

March 15 - Almost half of American college students binge drink,
according to a national study, and a student leader says the youngest
are most at risk.

Nationally, 44 percent of college students binge drink and nearly 25
percent do so weekly, according to a study by the Harvard School of
Public Health.

At the University of Colorado in Boulder, the statistics are even
grimmer: 63 percent of students polled were binge drinkers and a third
were frequent binge drinkers.

CU student government president Tara Friedman said the problem may be
worst among freshmen who have new-found freedom and easy access to
alcohol.

"I think it depends on where you are in college," said Friedman, a
senior. "I think freshmen drink more because of the access - to
liquor, to fake IDs and to parties. For seniors, it gets old and expensive."

The study, the third of its kind since 1993, polled 14,000 college
students at 119 four-year colleges in 39 states.

Binge drinkers were defined as men who have at least five drinks - or
women who have four - in one sitting every two weeks.

Frequent bingers consumed that more than once a week.

The number of binge-drinking students nationally remains constant. But
frequent binge drinkers rose to 23 percent, up from 20 percent in 1993.

"It's disturbing that these findings show an increase in the most
extreme and high-risk form of drinking," said study director Henry
Wechsler.

Binge drinking is the most serious public-health problem confronting
American colleges, said the Harvard researchers.

The sample includes small private and religious schools. CU said it
might fare better when compared to other large public
universities.

"We're talking about a drug that's very much a part of the culture and
social fabric. We're not going to see changes in the short run," said
Robert Maust, director of a five-year, $860,000 alcoholawareness grant
at CU.

The program, now in its fourth year, includes an ad campaign,
liquor-free social events, tracking the number of alcohol retailers
and uniting neighborhoods and police to battle binge drinking.

CU's dorms have "substance-free" floors requested by 1,700 students
annually. The program also established a beer ban at home football
games.

Regis University's award-winning Choices program hits freshmen the
moment they set foot on campus with aggressive campaigns on the
dangers of alcohol poisoning and drunken driving. No booze is allowed
in the dorms and alcohol isn't advertised on campus.

Still, the Jesuit college's own study revealed that 56 percent of
their students are binge drinkers and one-third binge frequently, said
Sally Spencer-Thomas, director of alcohol-awareness.

"Many students bring their drinking habits with them from high
school," Spencer-Thomas said.

Colorado State, which independently surveyed its students, expects to
be near national averages in bingers and frequent-bingers, said Pam
McCracken, who oversees CSU's program.

Despite the increase in frequent bingeing, campus booze-prevention
programs may be working, the Harvard study concludes. Among the
indications:

The majority of America's college students - 56 percent - are not
bingers.

One in three campus residents live in alcohol-free
housing.

That's in sharp contrast to fraternity and sorority residents, where
three of four are binge drinkers, according to the study.

"Fraternities and sororities have become dependent on alcohol as their
reason for existence," said CU's Maust. "They have become drinking
clubs and have forgotten the scholarship, service and philanthropy
that's in their charters. They recruit people who like to drink and
they teach them how to drink more." Not so, said Jon Williamson, vice
president of the North American Interfraternity Conference, an
umbrella group for the nation's 5,300 fraternity and sorority chapters.

"Most binge drinkers arrive at college as binge drinkers. Some join
fraternities - some don't," Williamson said.

Twenty percent - or 1,000 Greek chapters - will be alcohol-free by
July, he said. Those chapters have more members and lower insurance
premiums, and their students have higher grades, he said.

"We strongly support alcoholfree houses and educational efforts that
challenge the perception that everyone on campus drinks," Williamson
said. "But only one of 10 students is a fraternity or sorority member
and we can't solve the problem for everyone." Binge drinking creates
secondhand effects - assaults, unwanted sexual advances, vandalism and
interruption of sleep and study, the study said.

While campus prevention programs might be helping, they're offset by
the "ready supply of highvolume, low-cost liquor" off-campus, the study said.

"We need to focus our attention not only on teaching students to be
responsible drinkers, but also on getting outlets to be responsible
servers," Wechsler said.

(SIDEBARS)

CAMPUS DRINKING DEATHS

November, 1999 - Duke student Raheem Bath drank too much, passed out
and inhaled his vomit, causing a fatal bacterial infection in his lungs.

June, 1998 -University of Colorado student Christopher Mock was killed
after being towed on in-line skates by a car down Flagstaff Mountain.

September, 1997 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Scott
Krueger died of alcohol poisoning after binge drinking in the Phi
Gamma Delta fraternity house where he pledged. His bloodalcohol level
was .410.

August, 1997 - Sigma Alpha Epsilon pledge Benjamin Wynne, 20 died of
alcohol poisoning at Louisiana State University. His blood-alcohol
content was .588, equal to more than two dozen drinks.

September, 1995 - Mathew Garofalo died after chugging from a bottle of
whiskey during a Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity pledge ceremony at the
University of Iowa.

March, 1994 - CU student Amanda MacDonald was riding on the roof of a
car when it overturned on Flagstaff Mountain after a St. Patrick's Day
fraternity party.

February, 1988 - A Rutgers University fraternity pledge died after
being forced to drink "kamikazes," a potent vodka drink.

October, 1985 - CU sorority pledge Sherri Ann Clark died after falling
into south Boulder Creek during heavy drinking at a party.

Source: Denver Post research.

What To Say

College Parents of America, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group,
suggests that parents talk to their college students about drinking.

Set clear and realistic expectations regarding academic performance.
If students know their parents expect sound academic work, they are
likely to be more devoted to their studies and have less time to get
in trouble with alcohol.

Stress that alcohol is toxic and excessive consumption can be fatal.
Students die every year from alcohol poisoning.

Tell students to intervene when classmates are in trouble with
alcohol, such as getting help for an unconscious student.

Tell students to stand up for their right to a safe academic
environment. Confront boozers who intrude on sleep, study or property.
Or tell dorm staffers.

Avoid tales of drinking exploits from your college
years.

Encourage your student to volunteer in the community. It's a positive
use of free time.

Make it clear that underage drinking and drinking and driving are
against the law.

For more information call 888-256-4627.