Welcome to the Alcohol Education Office
facts

Interesting Alcohol Facts

 

There probably isn’t a college student in the United States who hasn’t personally experienced an alcohol–related problem or known someone who has.

Impairment related problems like vomiting‚ drunk driving arrests and/or crashes‚ date rape‚ sexually transmitted diseases‚ and maybe even longer–term difficulties such as liver damage and alcoholism are just a few of the negative consequences associated with high–risk drinking.

Because of all the problems that alcohol abuse can cause‚ it’s no wonder that many college students are making the choice to drink responsibly.

 low–riskdrinking

What is Low-Risk Drinking?

How do you “know when to say when?” What does “drink in moderation” mean? These phrases are emotionally appealing but ambiguous. They can mean almost anything you want them to mean‚ from total abstinence to not knocking over a lamp when you return home after hoisting a few.

If you choose to drink‚ here’s what the experts suggest:

  • No more than one drink an hour.
  • No more than two drinks per day for men‚ one per day for women. (Because alcohol affects women differently than men‚ alcohol use recommendations are lower for women.)
  • No drinking alcohol more than four days per week.

Research shows that if you exceed these recommendations‚ you increase the risk of an immediate alcohol–related problem‚ a longer–term health–related problem‚ or both. And‚ naturally‚ the more you exceed the guidelines‚ the more you increase your risk.

And let’s face it. We all know that alcohol has anesthetic‚ cell–damaging and psychoactive qualities‚ and that it’s addictive – so it’s important to understand that alcohol is in no way a risk–free activity.

Then what is “low–risk drinking?” Maybe the best way to answer that question is this: responsible drinking means taking steps to reduce your risk for experiencing an alcohol–related problem. It’'s really not hard to do; it only requires a little common sense.

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 knowyourself

Know Yourself

First of all‚ consider these questions:

  • What is your reaction to alcohol? When you drink do you often lose control or do something stupid? Do you sometimes pass out or get into arguments or fights? If so‚ maybe you should take a look – a close look – at your drinking habits.
  • Does anyone in your family have a history of alcohol–related problems? Here’s another good reason to ease up or quit’ because research shows that difficulty with alcohol seems to run in families.
  • What situation are you in? In other words‚ say you have a final early tomorrow morning and need to be at the top of your game. Or maybe you’re going to meet the parents of that special someone for the first time‚ or you know you’ll be doing some driving later in the day. Things like that. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize you should lay off the sauce.

Answering these questions will help you make the choice to drink or not to drink. It’s important to evaluate these types of questions each time you are thinking about taking a drink so that you can make the best choice for you.

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 noalcohol

Sometimes No Alcohol is the Best Choice

O.B.S.E.R.V.E.

Research shows that‚ under certain circumstances, alcohol use can be dangerous. How do you know what those circumstances are?

Remembering the letters in the word “OBSERVE” will remind you how to greatly reduce your risk of having an alcohol–related problem by simply not drinking.

Zero alcohol is the best choice if you are:

  • On certain medications or have certain illnesses (check with your doctor). Mixing medicines with booze may give you a buzz you didn’t bargain for.
  • Behind the wheel‚ or engaged in tasks requiring full mental or physical functioning. Drinking and driving is one of the most dangerous things anyone can do. But you already knew that.
  • Stressed out or tired. Drinking doesn’t relieve stress‚ it only complicates things further. And it could lead to depression. Talk to a friend instead, or do some relaxation exercises‚ or maybe go shopping.
  • Either the son‚ daughter or sibling of someone with alcoholism. As we mentioned earlier‚ alcohol problems are often a family affair.
  • Recovering from alcoholism or drug dependency. If you’ve worked hard to get yourself off alcohol or drugs‚, the last thing you want is to fall off the wagon. Stay clean.
  • Violating laws‚ policies or personal values. If drinking may mean legal trouble or expulsion from school‚ don’t do it. Not worth it.
  • Expecting‚ nursing or considering pregnancy. Remember‚ now you’re abstaining for two.

If you fall into any of the above categories‚ zero alcohol is the best choice for you.

By OBSERVEing the times to abstain from drinking‚ your risk of having alcohol–related problems will be significantly lessened.

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 smartdrinking

Tips for Smart Drinking

The basic choice is‚ of course‚ to drink or not to drink. Not drinking is always a low–risk choice.

But if you do choose to use alcohol‚ here are some tips to keep your risk of impairment as low as possible:

  • Eat before you drink. The food will help soften the blow by absorbing some of the alcohol.
  • Don’t try to quench your thirst with alcoholic drinks; this only makes you thirstier. Plain old water is best when you’re really thirsty.
  • Sip‚ don’t gulp. If you’re male‚ you’ll look cool. If you’re a woman‚ you’ll look refined. And no matter who you are‚ you’ll probably feel better the next morning.
  • Choose drinks with food–based mixers such as vegetable and fruit juices, which lower the risk of impairment; water or carbonated mixers increase impairment. Also choose drinks with low alcohol content.
  • Limit your drinking. No more than two drinks per day if you’re a man‚ one if you’re a woman. Don’t drink every day‚ not more than four days in any week.
  • Don’t “panic drink.” In other words‚ slow the rate at which you put away the alcohol. It’s not a race. Try to limit yourself to one drink per hour.
  • Give yourself a break; alternate booze with non–alcoholic beverages.
  • Don't let others drinking affect how much you choose to drink.
  • Get involved in activities that don’t include alcohol.

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 alcohol&appearance

Alcohol and Your Appearance

Almost everyone is dissatisfied with their appearance to some degree‚ and most people would like to find a way to change at least one thing about their looks. High–risk alcohol use is virtually guaranteed to change your appearance – but it’s a good bet you won’t get the changes you hoped for.

Alcohol abuse can lessen your body’s ability to effectively use vitamins and calcium‚ resulting in dull hair and skin‚ aggravated acne and dandruff.

Another way alcohol abuse can change your appearance is by making you heavier. Alcohol is high in calories‚ calories that are likely to stay with you in the form of fuller cheeks‚ extra waistline‚ chunkier hips. In fact‚ a daily glass of wine can add ten pounds a year.

More extreme abuse can cause malnutrition and lowered resistance to disease‚ which present an entirely new set of problems‚ not only to your looks but your health as well.

Probably the only good way to affect your appearance with alcohol is not to abuse it. No one can say for sure‚ but abstinence may be one of the ways a woman can stay looking younger longer. Besides‚ who needs dandruff?

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 alcohol&women

Alcohol and Women

Alcohol affects women differently than men. Increasing evidence suggests that the detrimental effects of chromic alcohol abuse are more severe for women than men. Women develop alcoholic liver diseases‚ particularly alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis‚ after a comparatively shorter period of heavy drinking and at a lower level of daily drinking than men. Proportionately‚ more alcoholic women die of cirrhosis than do alcoholic men. Women also become more intoxicated than do men‚ after drinking the same amount of alcohol. This is due to differences in body weight and hormone releases. Alcohol dependence and related medical problems‚ such as brain and liver damage‚ progress more rapidly in women.

High–risk alcohol use can also lead to the victimization of women. A recent study found that roughly 10% of women have experienced an attempted or completed rape during their first year at college. Alcohol is believed to have been involved at least 50% of the time. New findings show a clear relationship between days of alcohol consumption and risk of experiencing victimization‚ both sexual and nonsexual.

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 uk alcoholpolicy violation

UK Alcohol Policy Violation

There are consequences if you violate the University of Kentucky Alcohol Policy . Most students refer to the policy as “three strikes and you’re out.”

1st violation: Students attend CHOICES. This is an educational course that offers valuable education about alcohol. It is offered on Saturdays for approximately 6 hours and it costs $100.

2nd violation: Students have a mandatory meeting with the Dean of Students Office. They pay a $200 fine‚ and will be placed on social probation. An alcohol assessment must be done at the counseling center of their choice. Also‚ if the student is under 21‚ a letter will go home to their parents informing them of the alcohol violation.

3rd violation: Students are suspended from UK for a designated period of time‚ usually one calendar year.

Note: All violations of the UK Alcohol Policy are treated as individual cases. For more serious alcohol violations‚ especially those that place the student or others in danger‚ the “three strikes” pattern may not be applied. Depending upon the circumstances‚ a student could be suspended on his or her first alcohol violation.

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alcohol education office . university of kentucky . 242 johnson center . lexington‚ ky . 40506–0220 . (859) 257–9687 . fax (859) 323–9901

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