• Home
  • About us
    • Testimonials
  • Our program
    • 8 dimensions of wellness
    • Content platform
    • Promotional services
    • Measuring results
    • Case studies
  • Our content
    • Philosophy and approach
    • Browse content
    • Custom content
  • Video
    • Campuswell+
    • Video Packages
    • Browse Videos
  • Blog
Contact
  • Home
  • About us
    • Testimonials
  • Our program
    • 8 dimensions of wellness
    • Content platform
    • Promotional services
    • Measuring results
    • Case studies
  • Our content
    • Philosophy and approach
    • Browse content
    • Custom content
  • Video
    • Campuswell+
    • Video Packages
    • Browse Videos
  • Blog
Contact Admin Site
  • Home
  • About us
    • Testimonials
  • Our program
    • 8 dimensions of wellness
    • Content platform
    • Promotional services
    • Measuring results
    • Case studies
  • Our content
    • Philosophy and approach
    • Browse content
    • Custom content
  • Video
    • Campuswell+
    • Video Packages
    • Browse Videos
  • Blog
Contact Admin Site
  • Body
    • Physical activity
    • Workouts
    • Body image
    • Sleep
    • Staying healthy
  • Food
    • Nutrition
    • Recipes
  • Mind
    • Stress
    • Mental health
    • Mindfulness
    • Spirituality
  • Academics
    • Studying
    • Time management
    • Test taking
  • Self
    • LGBTQ+
    • Self-improvement
    • Race and ethnicity
    • Substance use
    • Environment
    • Accessibility
  • Relationships
    • Romantic relationships
    • Friendships
    • Communication
  • Money
    • Finances
    • Career
  • Sexual culture
    • Sexual health
    • Sexual assault and harassment
Blog Post
Home Administrator Blog Responsible alcohol use among college students is an achievable goal for every school
Administrator BlogFeatured

Responsible alcohol use among college students is an achievable goal for every school

Jan 13, 2022
Share article:
by taylorwilson
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Alcohol use among college students is nothing new. It’s estimated that 84 percent consume alcohol regularly—higher than the rate in the general population. Students drink for many reasons, the most common of which is to socialize with peers. The pandemic has only contributed to problematic drinking behaviors. Surveys show that alcohol use in the general population has increased throughout the pandemic. Lack of social opportunities, stress, and boredom are three of the main reasons cited for this uptick in alcohol consumption. 

It’s estimated that 84 percent of college students consume alcohol regularly

Drinking alcohol can pose a risk to health and safety including increasing the risk of liver disease, heart disease, injuries, alcohol use disorder, some cancers, and even death. Students have also reported effects such as hangovers, fatigue, and embarrassment as a result of drinking. 

But alcohol use doesn’t only affect the person drinking. A recent survey of 21,297 Canadian post-secondary students found that 31 percent of respondents were impacted by others’ drinking. These impacts include having to take care of a fellow student, arguments, and interrupted sleep and studying.

What is considered “responsible” alcohol use?

The Dietary Guidelines are clear. People who do not drink alcohol should not start and some people should not drink at all (e.g., those who are under the legal drinking age). Those who are at least 21 years old who choose to drink should do their best to minimize their alcohol consumption. The Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women.

What can colleges do to encourage responsible alcohol use among students? 

According to the CDC, there are a number of measures that campus communities can put into place to prevent excessive alcohol use, including:

  • RedIcon of hand using "stop" signal | alcohol use among college studentsucing the number of places where students can purchase or consume alcohol.
  • Limiting the days and hours in which alcohol can be sold or served on campus.
  • Enhancing enforcement of laws prohibiting alcohol to be sold to minors.

In addition to measures such as those listed above, some colleges may be able to implement full-service alcohol prevention, abuse treatment, and education programs to support students affected by alcohol.

How CampusWell can help you foster a culture of responsible drinking on campus 

Your college’s campus culture starts with what you offer students. This includes programming that educates students on responsible drinking, campus services available to help them if they need it, and support for their physical, mental, and social well-being.

CampusWell is a leader in creating relatable, science-based wellness content for college students. We provide over 200 schools with content covering all eight dimensions of wellness, including judgment-free advice on moderating alcohol use. Our previous articles about responsible alcohol use include:

  • How binge drinking can affect academic performance
  • Alcohol’s effect on sleep
  • What alcohol myopia means for sexual consent

CampusWell is a versatile platform that helps make a multi-departmental wellness initiative simple, sustainable, and engaging. Using technology, high quality, research-based content, and proven marketing strategies, together with your existing assets, we deliver a campus-wide wellness platform that will positively impact your students and institution.

Preview and request a demonstration
Accordion #1
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Sources

Bock, B., Deutsch, C., Dunsiger, S., Rosen, R. K., Walaska, K., Lantini, R., & Foster, R. (2021). C.A.R.E.S: A mobile health program for alcohol risk reduction in community college students. Contemporary clinical trials, 107, 106493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2021.106493
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34182157/

Braby, L., Holcomb, M., & Leonhard, C. (2020). Examining the relationship between ethnic identity, depression, and alcohol use among students at historically black colleges/universities (HBCUs). Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse, 1–17. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332640.2020.1793864

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, December 29). Dietary guidelines for alcohol. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/moderate-drinking.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, August 17). Preventing excessive alcohol use. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/prevention.htm

DiBello, A. M., Hatch, M. R., Miller, M. B., Neighbors, C., & Carey, K. B. (2021). Opportunities for reducing college drinking: The roles of drinking attitudes and blackout experience. Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, 45(7), 1494–1503. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14638
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34086367/

Erlikhman, L. (2021, August 23). Universities need to prepare for student binge drinking after COVID-19 shutdowns. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/universities-need-to-prepare-for-student-binge-drinking-after-covid-19-shutdowns-165360

Health Canada. (2021, May 10). Canadian postsecondary education alcohol and drug use survey, 2019/2020. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/alcohol/cpads/

Health Canada. (2021, July 5). Low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/alcohol/low-risk-alcohol-drinking-guidelines.html

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Drinking levels defined. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/moderate-binge-drinking

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020 December). Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

(Visited 40 times, 1 visits today)
Share article:
mental wellness physical wellness responsible alcohol use social wellness substance use

How Does CampusWell Extend Your Reach to Engage Your Students?

Jan 5, 2022

How to use positive visualization to navigate life’s obstacles

Feb 2, 2022

Related Articles

More from Author

teacher meeting with students | college hacks

A simple college hack to make this your best year yet

3 types of KIND bars

The new food rule: Your guide to quick nutrition decisions

Group of roommates

How to handle 3 common roommate problems

heart

Give your heart on Valentine’s Day

orange chicken | orange chicken recipe healthy

UCookbook: Takeout-style orange chicken

yoga mats

FitnessU: Namaste the stress away

Subscribe for updates

Loading...

What you need to know about Coronavirus

Self Care Guide

info@campuswell.com

(508) 836-9550

Facebook-f Instagram Twitter
Home
8 dimensions of wellness
Content platform
Promotional Services
Measuring results
Case studies
About us
Our content
Blog
Contact
Terms of use
Privacy policy
Accessibility
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800.273.TALK


National Sexual Assault Hotline
800.656.HOPE


National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism

ÂĐ 2020 CampusWell

BACK TO TOP