Task force: Binge drinking worse than ever

WASHINGTON, April 9 (UPI) -- A federal report calls on the nation's colleges and universities to go to war against binge drinking by students, charging that drinking causes 1,400 deaths, 500,000 injuries and 70,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape every year among young people.

The report also estimates that more than a fourth of students 18 to 24 have driven cars after drinking in the last year.

"The harm that college students do to themselves and others as a result of excessive drinking exceeds what many would have expected. Our data clearly point to the need for better interventions against high-risk drinking in this population," said Ralph W. Hingson, professor of social behavioral sciences and associate dean for research at Boston University.

The study was done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Task Force on College Drinking, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The committee recommended stricter enforcement of minimum drinking ages, restriction of the number of locations where alcohol is sold on or near campuses and more information and counseling.

Also suggested as ideas to cut down student drinking were to hold classes and exams on Fridays and to hold Saturday classes. Expansion of alcohol-free dormitories also was advanced as a promising idea.

"Although a minority of college students engage in high-risk drinking, all students, and their parents, faculty and members of the surrounding community suffer the negative consequences of alcohol abuse, such as assault, vandalism and traffic accidents," said Notre Dame President Edward Malloy.

The study concedes that most students drink moderately or abstain. The proportion of non-drinkers increased from 15 to 19 percent between 1993 and 1999. But it also said binge drinking is on the rise. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more for women.

In a recent survey, about 20 percent of students reported bingeing more than three times in the last two weeks.

"The consequences of excessive drinking are far too common on many college campuses nationwide, and efforts to reduce high-risk drinking and its related problems have largely failed," said Mark Goldman of the University of South Florida.

"But we need not accept high-risk drinking on our campuses as inevitable," said Goldman, who led the study with Malloy. "If colleges and communities work together they can change these harmful drinking patterns."

Task force research shows drinking rates are highest among incoming freshmen, males, members of fraternities or sororities and athletes. Students who attend two-year colleges, religious schools, commuter schools or predominantly black colleges and universities drink the least.