Alcohol and College
Alcohol And Safety
Before drinking, think about it's possible consequences(eg. academic and health problems, unsafe sex assault injury and even death). These consequences affect the person who drinks as well as other students(whether they choose to drink or not) and the community as a whole.
What's in a drink?
12oz of beer = 5oz of wine = 1.5oz of 80 proof distilled liquor
What does alcohol do?
Low Doses:
- Reduces Tension
- Lowers Inhibitions
- Impairs Concentration
- Slows Reflexes
- Impairs Reaction Time
- Reduces Coordination
Medium Doses:
- Slurred Speech
- Drowsiness
- Altered Emotions
High Doses:
- Vomitting
- Breathing Difficulties
- Unconsciousness
- Coma
- Death
What Does BAC Mean?
Blood Alcohol Concentration is the percentage of alcohol in your blood. For example, a .08 alcohol level means that .08 percent of your bloodstream is alcohol -- the higher the alcohol content, the more the alcohol affects your system and the more dangerous it becomes.
Effects of BAC on the body:
- 0.02-0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not present
- 0.04-0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sense of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairments of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
- 0.07-0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time and hearing. Euphoria. Judgement and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired.
- 0.10-0.125 BAC: Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgement. Speech may be slurred; balanace, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria. it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication.
- 0.13-0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria is beginning to appear.
- 0.16-0.20 BAC: Dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness) predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of "sloppy drunk."
- 0.25 BAC: Needs assitance walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and some vomitting.
- 0.30 BAC: Loss of consciousness
- 0.40 BAC And Up: Onset of coma, possible death due to respitory arrest.
Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol poidoning is a medical emergency.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Unconsciousness or semi-consciousness
- Slow respiration (breaths) of eight seconds or less perminute or lapses between breaths of more than eight seconds
- Cold, clamy, pale or bluish skin
- Strong odor of alcohol
Appropriate action:
- Immediately call 911
- Gently turn person on their his/her side and maintain that position by placing a pillow in the small of the persons back. This is important to prevent aspiration (choking) should the person vomit
- Stay with the person until medical help arrives
If a person appears to be "sleeping it off" it is important to realize that even though a person may be semiconscious, alcohol already in the stomach may continue to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the body. The person's life may still be in danger.
If you are having difficulty in determining whether an individual is acutely intoxicated, contact a health professional immediately -- you cannot afford to guess
Reprinted from the National Council oon Alcoholism nd Drug Dependence, Inc.
Information and Support
If you or someone you know has an alcohol abuse problem there is help available through the following resources:
http://www.drugrehablocator.com
Western State College Health Center: 970-943-2707
Western State College Counseling Center: 970-943-2484
Western Responsible Alcohol Partnership (WRAP): 970-943-2500
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): http://sbirtcolorado.org/
