Alcohol Misuse in Campuses: Can This Harm Non-Drinking College Students?
More than 53% of surveyed college students face harms from others' drinking.
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Alcohol misuse has become a rampant issue in US colleges over the past few years, and study shows that this behavior drags even non-drinking students to harm.
More than half of the surveyed students, 53.5%, reported that they experienced harm caused by someone else's alcohol use. The harms range from babysitting intoxicated peers (33.8%).
The study, shared by Neuroscience, surveyed more than 1,900 students at 46 colleges. Students involved in Greek life, athletics, or shared housing were deemed more susceptible. Students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, including White and gender-nonconforming students, were more likely to experience these harms.
In addition to babysitting drunk friends, other hams experienced by non-drinking college students were emotional distress (23.5%), interference with academic or sleep activities (15%), and verbal violence (14.3%). Severe outcomes included sexual contact that was not wanted (5.1%), physical violence (4.3%), and academic consequences such as being forced to drop classes (3.1%).
Read more: Legislator Pushes to Revise Scholarship Rules After SC Students Lose Aid for Minor Alcohol Offenses
How Alcohol Misuse Affects College Students
The study authors highlighted the ripple effects of binge drinking, from the ways it disrupts campus life and drains resources. Dr. Pamela Trangenstein, a co-author, added that protection for these and other harms for all students will ensure their safety and academic success.
Another co-author, Dr. David Jernigan, shared that it's widely believed that drinking is a "rite of passage," it should not overshadow the serious harm it causes to individuals and the campus community as it can disrupt students' lives. University Herald recently reported that an intoxicated student died at Dartmouth College.
The researchers point out that only evidence-based solutions can address such challenges. Those include limiting discounts on drink prices, increasing the state alcohol tax, and carrying out targeted initiatives for students with greater vulnerability, such as Greek organizations or athletics. All were in line with some of the College Drinking Prevention's solutions.
