• Alcohol kills more young people than cocaine, heroin, and every other illegal drug combined. Eighteen million Americans are addicted to alcohol or have alcohol abuse issues. Alcohol is considered the No. 1 public health issue of today's youth.
• 1,700  college students between the ages of 18 -24 die each year from alcohol misuse.
• 97,000  college students reported cases of sexual abuse because of alcohol use.
• 696,000  reported cases of students being assaulted by someone who had been drinking.
• 599,000  college students blamed unintentional injuries on alcohol use.

Source: www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov, 2007

• The brain does not finish developing until a person is in their mid 20's, and one of the last regions (of the brain) to mature is intimately involved with the ability to plan and make complex judgments. (www.madd.org/stats)
• If you’re under 21 years old refusal to submit to a blood alcohol test is an admission of guilt to driving under the influence of alcohol.
  (www.dmv.ca.gov)

• Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows down the central nervous system.
• Alcohol requires no digestion so it is absorbed directly into the blood stream.
• Alcohol can be delivered to the brain within minutes of consumption.
• Alcohol effects the brain centers progressively.
  • First: it affects the centers that control judgment, reason, and caution.
  • Second: it affects the centers that control motor skills and vital functions.
• Alcohol is removed from the body through a process called oxidation.
• If a person drinks faster than the liver can remove the alcohol, it builds up, making the sedative effects of the alcohol increasingly pronounced.

What is the difference between blacking out and passing out? Are they the same thing? No.

• A "black out" is an amnesia-like period while drinking that a person does not remember although they were not passed out or sleeping.
• "Passing out" is the loss of consciousness. This constitutes a medical emergency, see Alcohol Poisoning.

• Had a hangover
• Got nauseated or vomited
• Driven a car while under the influence
• Done something I later regretted
• Been criticized by someone I know
• Got into an argument or fight
• Had a memory loss
• Missed a class
• Performed poorly on a test or important project
• Been hurt or injured

Source: Sacramento State 2006 Core Alcohol and Drug Survey

There are many myths about how to sober up more quickly or how to avoid a hangover (ie: taking a shower, drinking coffee, exercising, etc.) but do any of them really work?
The answer is no.

Alcohol leaves the body through metabolism by the liver at a rate of 0.15% per hour (approximately one standard drink per hour). This means that a person would need to drink less than one drink per hour in order to avoid accumulation of a BAC.

If you drink, drink smart. Here are some guidelines:

• Set a drinking limit of .05 BAC (the point of diminishing returns), before you start drinking.
• Check a BAC chart to estimate your BAC based on the number of drinks you have consumed and your gender.
• Keep track of how much you drink.
• Drink slowly, don't gulp.
• Eat before and while you are drinking. Foods high in fat and protein are best.
• Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Choose to spend less time with friends who tend to drink excessively and choose to spend time with friends who don't (or seldomly) drink.
• Don't attend social events where heavy drinking will occur.
• Try drinking less than you usually do or refusing drinks that are offered to you.
• Practice 3 ways to be more comfortable in social situations without using alcohol.
• Identify healthy ways to reduce stress (ex: exercise or meditation).
• Discuss your risk reduction goals with a friend or significant other.
• Don't play drinking games as they tend to encourage high risk drinking.
• Know your family history.