Why don’t you lighten up? A lot of us drank in college and we’re okay.

The intent of prevention professionals is to address the behavior of a minority—the students who are abusing—not the majority who are abstaining or drinking responsibly.
There’s substantial evidence that abusers are not the only ones suffering as a result of their behavior. There are many others on campus who are not high risk drinkers who are negatively affected by this behavior (sleep and study interruption, property damage, verbal and physical assault, even rape).
The drinking going on today has a different quality—an intensity not seen previously. It involves using funnels and other equipment, where the goal is to get totally drunk and to flirt with danger.
Finally, as the NIAAA Task Force Report suggests, as many as 1,700 students die each year as a result of alcohol abuse, and many more are negatively affected by these deaths and other consequences. The prevention field is aiming to reduce these effects and provide a safe and healthy environment for students to learn.

The Higher Education Center welcomes your feedback.
Please use our Suggestion Box.