Gaining knowledge about alcoholism—a shot in the dark
by Amanda Leduc
se news editor

More than 2.6 million high school students do not know a person can die from an overdose of alcohol, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD).

To help make more students aware, the NCADD is campaigning against underage drinking during Alcohol Awareness Month.

Stacia Murphy, NCADD president, said in a press release, “As a society we have to do a better job persuading our citizens and our young people that alcohol use is a dead end. They’re playing Russian Roulette, not only with their own lives, but with the lives of friends, neighbors and loved ones.”

Save a Life–End Underage Drinking is the theme for Alcohol Awareness Month 2004.

NCADD affiliates across the country sponsored youth-planned and youth-run Alcohol-Free events the first weekend of the month.

Parents and other adults are asked to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages for a 72-hour period to demonstrate that alcohol is not necessary to have a good time.

Those who experienced discomfort during these 72 hours are encouraged to contact one of the NCADD affiliates.

Throughout the rest of April, families are encouraged to learn more about alcoholism and its early symptoms.

The NCADD has sponsored Alcohol Awareness Month since 1987, encouraging local communities to focus on the disease of alcoholism.

The NCADD’s goal is to raise awareness of alcoholism as a treatable disease, not a moral weakness, and spread knowledge of recovery programs.

The national public awareness campaign has featured honorary chairmen as Sen. George McGovern and Dr. David Satcher, the former surgeon general.

“ We now know that children who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism in adulthood than those children who do not begin consuming alcohol until the legal age of 21,” Satcher said in an interview with the NCADD.

According to the NCADD, an estimated 5.6 million junior and senior high school students are unsure of the legal age to purchase alcohol.

Satcher said more aggressive actions need to be taken to educate parents, children, teachers and others involved with young people about the prevalence and dangers of alcohol abuse, especially with respect to underage drinkers.

Alcohol is a factor in the four leading causes of death among persons ages 10-24: motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, homicide and suicide.

A projected 259,000 students think that wine coolers and beer cannot get a person drunk, make him sick or do as much harm as liquor, according to the NCADD.

Satcher said parents should clearly establish an expectation that they do not want their children drinking before they are legal age.

It is now known that the earlier a child is exposed to alcohol, the more likely it is to lead to violence or other forms of drugs and substance abuse problems later in life.

NE and NW campuses health services provide various materials for students concerned about drinking, including a CD-Rom presentation Alcohol 101 Plus.

The software includes 10 ways to refuse a drink and safety tips for spotting alcohol poisoning.

Tina Ingram, a NE nurse, said students can assess their drinking with the C.A.G.E. questions.

Have you ever felt you should CUT down on your drinking?

Have people ANNOYED you by criticizing your drinking?

Have you every felt GUILTY about your drinking?

Do you need an EYE-OPENER drink in the morning?

Those who answer yes to two or more of these questions should consider seeking help, Ingram said.

Doris Donner, another NE nurse, said, “We do not have AA meetings here on campus for confidentiality and other reasons, but we have literature and information to help students find answers.”

Ingram and Donner said students can contact NE health services at 817-515-6688 or NE counseling at 817-515-6661.

Counselor Freddie Sandifer said South Campus students should visit the counseling center or call 817-515-4558 for a referral to an outside agency for help.

SE nurse Barbee Phillips has small groups Mondays 2-4 p.m.

Last Updated: 4/21/2004
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