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Dear
A.G.,
I went through the mill of premed and medical
study pressures many years ago so I know the need
to concentrate on studies and to get adequate
rest. Fortunately, many of our area colleges are
attempting to empower the 40 percent or so of
students whose social life is not alcohol-based.
I have heard that that Rutgers, Ramapo, William
Paterson, Montclair State amongst others have
taken some steps to address the problem, but.....
About
a year ago, on the web-site <jointogether.com>,
David Lewis, M.D., Editor of The Brown University
Digest of Addiction Theory and Application reported
the results of a team survey by the Alcohol Studies
Program at the Harvard School of Public Health
of 17,592 students on 140 campuses nationwide
which concluded that "apparently, tougher
college drinking policies have yet to yield significant
changes in problem drinking by underage college
drinkers." While the study found that underage
college students drink less frequently (63%) than
the the of-age students (74%), it also found that
underage students drink more PER OCCASION (42%)
than older students (27%). Underage students also
were "significantly more likely to experience
alcohol-related problems, such as engaging in
unplanned sexual activity, damaging property,
injuring themselves, getting into trouble with
police, being treated for alcohol overdose, doing
something they later regretted, or experiencing
'blackouts' (considered by many as diagnostic
of actual addiction to alcohol)."
Researchers
also found that underage drinkers were most likely
to obtain alcohol inexpensively and drink at off-campus
parties, dormitory social events, fraternity parties,
and on-campus dances. Students who are 21 or older,
by contrast, reported consuming most of their
alcohol at off-campus bars or pubs. Other research
has documented that the provision of inexpensive
drinks is an important feature of hazardous college
drinking, since it is the students who drink more
who are most influenced by beverage price.
An
earlier report by the College of Alcohol Study
found that the percentage of college students
who binge drink increased throughout the 1990s,
with binge drinking defined as "a man who
has at least five drinks in one sitting, or a
woman who consumes at least four drinks in one
sitting." The study also found that, while
occasional alcohol use among college students
had declined, both binge drinking and abstinence
had increased between 1993 and 1999. It
concludes that, "The increase in abstinence
is of interest to those in public health and medicine
since it has been shown that if the onset of drinking
is delayed by five years, the risk of serious
alcohol problems is decreased by 50%".....
A large part of which depends on parental influence
before a kid enters college. Most college bingers
started drinking long before they entered college...as
I have repeated so often, most problem drinkers
started drinking at age eleven, while still in
fifth grade!
The
study environment for a pre-med student is far
too important for him to stay in his present rooming
situation. I suggest that he see his college's
director for student affairs for assistance in
finding another room more suitable to his needs.
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