Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention - Top Twelve Alcohol Facts
First of all, if this is in your residence hall room when you check-in, you are most likely under 21 years old. It is illegal to consume, purchase, or possess alcohol in public in Kansas if you are less than 21. The College also has an established alcohol/drug policy (check the handbook), and it is enforced. However, we’re also aware that some of you will probably experiment with drinking while you are here. If you are one of those, this page contains information you need to know to stay safe.
#12
Your body processes 1.0 – 1.5 oz. of alcohol per hour. Unlike with other substances, it does not kick into overdrive when alcohol is ingested. It metabolizes alcohol at the same steady pace.
#11
There is 1.0 – 1.5 oz. of alcohol in every 12 oz. beer, 5 oz. glass of wine, and shot of hard liquor. Anything that you consume above this floats around in your bloodstream and contributes to you being drunk.
#10
A “binge” consists of five (5) drinks per drinking occasion for males and four (4) drinks per occasion for females (males have more body mass).
#9
The person mixing your drinks at an off-campus party is likely not using a shot glass to measure. Odds are that you’re getting more than 1.0-1.5 oz. of alcohol per drink—and in some cases maybe MUCH more.
#8
Keep track of how much you’re drinking. Keep bottle caps or pull tabs in your pocket, or carry a pen and make small marks on your inner arm or the back of your hand.
#7
Set a limit of how much you’re going to drink before you go out, and stick to it. After about the third drink, your decision making centers in your brain’s frontal lobes will begin to be affected. As such, your judgement and ability to decide whether you should keep drinking will be impaired.
#6
Blackouts (not remembering what you did the night before when you were drinking) are very rare in the general population. They are a sign of alcohol abuse.
#5
Anyone who tells you that they drive better after drinking is either lying to you or must be an incredibly poor driver when they are sober. Alcohol does directly affect motor coordination and reaction times. If others claim that someone drives better after drinking, just assume that they were probably drinking, too, and aren’t the best judge.
#4
Sip, don’t gulp. Drinking games in particular are typically designed to fast-track drunkenness. Don’t play them.
#3
Yes, it is possible to die from excessive drinking. Alcohol is a toxin, and your body has to work hard to process it all out of your system. Drinking too much can shut down the respiratory regulating system in your brain. Essentially you pass out and never wake up again.
#2
The signs of alcohol poisoning are unresponsiveness, cold and clammy skin, and slow and uneven breathing. If you’re unsure whether someone has alcohol poisoning, get help. It’s better to be too cautious than to have someone die.
#1
If one of your friends is intoxicated, stay with him/her. Their judgement is impaired, and they will be easily victimized by others (yes, even at BC and in Atchison). Excessive drinking is involved in a high percentage of acquaintance rapes, physical assaults, and property damage on college campuses nationwide. Don’t let your friend become a statistic.
And, most importantly, stay SAFE.
Provided by: Benedictine College Counseling Center and the Alcohol/Drug Task Force
Compiled by: Kerry A. Marvin, Director—Counseling Center
More questions? Contact kmarvin@benedictine.edu
