The Binge Drinking Epidemic Among College Students

Binge drinking is an issue that has threatened the well-being of our youth for generations. Statistics have shown that it can lead to long term consequences like disabilities or death, and that 20% of women in college reported being victims of rape or other forms of sexual assault often a result of binge drinking. (Kuntsche et al. 4). The Centers for Diseases Control defines it “as consuming five or more drinks on an occasion for men or four or more drinks on an occasion for women,” (CDC, 2022, para 1). Although the exact number of drinks, in the exact number of hours is often still debated among the science community. Even though the exact definition is not agreed upon, it is still very prevalent today, many youths in college participate in binge drinking, whether they know it or not. “In the US, there is ample evidence that binge drinking rates are higher among college students than among non-college age-mates” (Kuntsche et al. 8). Drinking alcohol is a big part of college culture, and with that, the risk of binge drinking is always present. It is a grave danger to public health that must be terminated. Although drinking has become normalized, by properly educating people about the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, eradicating the idea that exaggerated drinking is an acceptable behavior, and having the government implement stricter policies could expunge this plague from society once and for all.

One way to eliminate binge drinking among college students is to properly educate students on the consequences. This can lead to people becoming more aware of their drinking habits and setting limits for themselves. Technology is a very effective tool that should not be overlooked. In our current generation, getting information to people is now faster and easier than ever with the internet. Every college that accepts federal funding must comply with Title IX; colleges will usually require students to take training courses, like SafeColleges to educate the students on the contents of Title IX. A way college could get more involved with cutting down on binge drinking is to have similar training programs that cover topics such as healthy drinking habits. Amir Bhochhibhoya took the time to examine 14 different articles that discussed the use of internet-based interventions among college students. The articles were meticulously chosen, making sure to only include peer-reviewed articles. The methods of intervention ranged from personalized feedback to the AlcoholEDU Course. In Bhochhibhoya’s article, he states that, “All studies but one reported a significant reduction in the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and problems related with heavy drinking,” (526). While using the internet and social media does have its benefits, there are also some downsides, such as misinformation. One way to combat this is by promoting trusted sources and encouraging people to seek out these sources.

Unfortunately, sometimes just having the information is not enough to sway someone from binge drinking. As stated, before drinking has been integrated into everyday society to be viewed as normal, eliminating this view can help with the extermination of binge drinking. In an interview with the recovered alcoholic Nason Stephens, he shares his experience of starting to drink in college. He attended social events, joined fraternities, and was introduced to the bar scene by his friends – all typical aspects of college culture" (03:04-03:57).) Eventually he got out of college, and it grew to become an addiction. It forced him to step down from jobs and ruined relationships with partners and friends (Stephens, 07:54-09:37). Stephen's story showcases how the culture around drinking in college can expand outside of college and continue to negatively affect a person's life. In an article written by Mäkelä and Maunu, they review existing data to discuss the topic of being pressured to drink in today's society, they revealed that, “Overall, 47% of… respondents in the quantitative survey reported having been pressured to drink at least once in the past 12 months; 3% reported this ‘‘often.’’ 17% ‘‘every now and then’’ and 27% ‘‘rarely’’,” (315). The peer pressure from others makes it difficult to eliminate the problem, but peer pressure could be used for the opposite. Instead of using it to encourage drinking, it could be used to encourage healthier drinking habits. Some people might argue that this is an unrealistic expectation and may be overly restrictive. Stigmatizing excessive alcohol consumption can infringe on personal freedoms. The aim isn't to demonize alcohol consumption, but rather stop people from doing it to the level that harms themselves.

Lastly, the Government making stricter policies on alcohol consumption will be a big step in eradicating this problem. Getting rid of binge drinking would be nearly impossible without the involvement of the government. One potential downside of this could be that people residing in the US may become frustrated with the government, which, in turn, could further strain the relationship between the people and the government. This could be mitigated through government actions that prioritize transparency, detailed bills, effective communication with representatives, and demonstrating the positive impact of these stricter policies. They in fact have worked in the past, as “in US states, a recent publication found that the most promising policies to reduce binge drinking, in addition to increasing the price of alcoholic beverages, were those which targeted the general population (as opposed to policies focusing on underage drinkers), focused on alcohol consumption (e.g. policies focusing on the production, sale or use of alcohol rather on impaired driving), and reduced the availability of alcohol” (Kuntsche et al. 22). With the implementation and reinforcement of these policies, all of society, not just college students, will be one step closer to getting rid of binge drinking.

Eliminating binge drinking will be a formidable challenge that will take time. This change wouldn’t be something that can be achieved quickly. For far too long binge drinking has ruined many people's lives. Nevertheless, we can achieve this by implementing the methods mentioned above, offering resources to those who struggle with binge drinking, eliminating the notion that excessive drinking is acceptable behavior, and educating people thoroughly about the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption. The combined forces of these solutions will help society get to a point where responsible drinking is the “norm.” In the present day, excessive drinking is one of many problems, but eliminating binge drinking will bring society closer to a brighter and healthier future.

Works Cited

“Binge Drinking.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 Nov. 2022, www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm#:~:text=Binge%20drinking%20is%20the%20most,are%20not%20dependent%20on%20alcohol.

Bhochhibhoya, Amir, et al. "The use of the internet for prevention of binge drinking among the college population: a systematic review of evidence." Alcohol and alcoholism 50.5 (2015): 526-535.

Kuntsche, Emmanuel, et al. "Binge drinking: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions." Psychology & health 32.8 (2017): 976-1017.

Mäkelä, Pia, and Antti Maunu. “Come on, Have a Drink: The Prevalence and Cultural Logic of Social Pressure to Drink More.” Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, vol. 23, no. 4, Aug. 2016, pp. 312–21. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2016.1179718.

Stephens, Nason, director. ALCOHOLIC Interview Nason’s Recovery Story - Addiction and Sobriety. YouTube, YouTube, 23 Feb. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBB4nrkBGnU. Accessed 8 Oct. 2023.