CONSIDER THESE STATISTICS:

	Over 7% of the freshman class nationwide will drop out of the university because of     alcohol-related reasons.
	The average annual beer consumption of American college students is just short of 4     billion cans. If these "college beer cans" were stacked end-to-end upon each other, the     stack would reach the moon and go 70,000 miles beyond.
	Administrators of approximately 200 colleges and universities estimated that on the     average, alcohol is involved in 68% of the violent behavior and 52% of the physical     injuries on their campuses.
	85% of sexual assaults on campus are alcohol-related.
	The typical student will probably spend more money for alcoholic beverages than for     textbooks.

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

Return to top of page

THE BLOOD-ALCOHOL CONNECTION

The amount of alcohol in the blood depends on stomach contents, body size, body composition, your gender, and how much you drink in a given period of time. How Quickly alcohol gets into the blood depends on the contents of the stomach. If the stomach is full of food, alcohol is mixed with it and goes into the blood slowly. When the stomach is empty, alcohol moves into the blood rapidly.

Once in the bloodstream, alcohol goes to the liver to be broken down. If more arrives than the liver can handle, it circulates in the blood and is taken to the more fluid portions of the body such as brain and muscle. Very little enters bone or fat. Consequently, a person with a high percentage of body fat may have a higher proportion of alcohol in their blood than a more muscular person of the same weight after consuming the same amount of alcohol.

To avoid this overload of alcohol on the liver, space your drinks, drink slowly, and avoid drinking on an empty stomach.

Return to top of page

THE TIME FACTOR

The liver is the organ responsible for processing alcohol. How quickly the liver can do this is affected by how much you drink and your genetic background. It takes the liver one hour to process one drink.

Contrary to popular belief, exercise, caffeine, and cold showers do not speed up alcohol breakdown. Nothing makes the liver work faster. However, some people such as Asians and American Indians lack the enzyme needed by the liver to breakdown alcohol and as a result, experience alcohol's effects longer than usual. On the contrary, people who drink frequently synthesize more of this enzyme and can recover more quickly from the effects of alcohol. This is commonly referred to as "tolerance." People with and "increases tolerance", however, tend to over drink and often end up with a drinking problem or in severe cases, alcoholism.

Return to top of page

HOW TO HELP AN INTOXICATED FRIEND

There is no way to sober up quickly. It takes time for the person to metabolize the alcohol in the bloodstream. A cold shower, black coffee, oxygen, or exercise will have little effect. A general rule of thumb is that it will take as many hours to sober up as the number of drinks digested. If you have ANY concerns about an intoxicated friend's well-being (ie. they've passed out, have irregular breathing, purplish skin tone, etc), get help immediately by dialing "911"!.

Return to top of page

WARNING SIGNS OF A DRINKING PROBLEM

Here are some basic warning signals that indicate a person who may have a drinking problem:

	A person who frequently drinks to a state of intoxication.
	A person who consistently skips classes due to hangovers.
	A person who frequently drinks alone to escape reality, boredom, and loneliness.
	A person who excessively denies having an alcohol problem when approached about     his or her behavior concerning alcohol.
	A person who suffers from chronic hangovers and wants a drink to relieve the     hangovers.
	A person who under the influence of alcohol does something he or she would not do     otherwise.

If someone close to you seems to have an alcohol problem, don't be afraid to talk with him or her. Show concern and support without preaching or criticizing. Have a positive attitude and be sincere about your feelings. Be prepared to offer alternatives and specific advice as to what kinds of professional help are available, because the problem drinker is usually the last to know that he or she has a problem. The Residence Hall staff can help you identify sources of help.

Return to top of page

PENN STATE'S ALCOHOL INTERVENTION PROGRAM

The vast majority of college students drink alcohol and many do so without long term consequences. But a percentage of students abuse alcohol to the extent that it becomes a problem. It is for this group of perhaps 10% - 15% of Penn State students that the Office of Health Promotion & Education Alcohol Intervention Program is designed. The intervention process is a service provided by students for students. It involves individual and group education about alcohol, its effects, and the role it plays in the student's life. Students are referred to the program from a variety of sources including Judicial Affairs, Residence Life, faculty, and district magistrates.

One purpose of the intervention process is the early identification of potential problem signs and behaviors related to the use of alcohol. A student begins the process by being seen by a professional staff member or a trained student for an initial interview that lasts approximately 30 - 45 minutes. This interview is designed to provide background information and to help the student and staff member decide together about participation in additional educational sessions. The students who offer the sessions are called interventionists and have successfully completed an intensive 45 hours of training. They are trained to be non-judgmental while offering students a variety of options, including referral to campus or off-campus agencies if desired. Students who have completed the intervention process have evaluated it very highly with comments such as:

	"I'm glad I went through it; I learned something about myself"
	"I thought I knew what I needed to know, but the intervention has helped me see that I     wasn't well informed about alcohol."

For more information, please call: (814) 863-0461.

For more on Judicial Affairs Alcohol Intervention Program, visit
Penn State's Alcohol Intervention Program page.

Click on the link for information on
Penn State's Commission for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs .