Study: Most College Alcohol Policies Aren’t Preventing Heavy Drinking

Johns Hopkins Study Details How Campus Drinking Guidelines Are Ineffective

In a recent issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, alcohol policy experts teamed up with researchers from Johns Hopkins University to analyze the effectiveness of college alcohol and prevention programs. According to their results, less than half of the colleges studied had policies that ranked as “most effective” in curbing excessive drinking habits. Certain policies, such as banning alcohol in some campus areas, were listed by the panel as effective while keg registration and banning specific types of alcoholic beverages were less effective.

Other effective policies for reducing rates of college binge and heavy drinking included banning drinking games, drinking in public and at student recruitment events, banning alcohol delivery to campus addresses, and checking IDs at campus events where alcohol is present. Researchers believed these policies are responsible for changing a school’s culture of drinking and what is considered “normal” drinking behavior on campus. Punishment (such as notifying parents of infractions or expulsion) was also listed as effective, though only when punishment was not impeded by appeals and deliberation processes.

Alcohol Abuse and Injury Among College Students

The negative impact of alcohol abuse on college students has been studied extensively. While this study is the first to closely inspect how well college guidelines protect students, most students report being aware of the consequences of drinking. Growing awareness among the youth has led to a declining binge drinking rate among students since 2008. From 2017 to 2018, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that past month binge drinking among college students fell 4% (from 38% to 34%). In 2014, nearly 60% of college student reported binge drinking in the prior month.

Binge drinking is associated with a number of health risks and dangerous behaviors. Those who binge drink are more likely to engage in drunk driving, hazardous activities, and unsafe sex. Moreover, binge drinking has been linked to a change in an individual’s DNA, making them more susceptible to alcohol cravings. Long term, this could lead to alcoholism.

Before It Gets Worse, Get Help

Preventing bad drinking habits is the best way to prevent addiction. If you know someone who might have a dependence on alcohol and needs help, talk to a recovery specialist today for information about their detox and rehab options.

• Author — Last Edited: May 29, 2019
  

  Destiny Bezrutczyk

  Destiny Bezrutczyk is a Digital Content Writer from west Iowa. She earned a Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature from Texas Tech University. After working as a freelance script and blog writer, she began writing content for tech startups. Maintaining a passion for words, she took on a variety of projects where her writing could help people (especially those battling mental health and substance use disorders). Today, she enjoys science fiction, trivia, and the beach.
• Sources

  Kafka, Alexander C. (2019). Colleges Have Anti-Drinking Rules on the Books, but Which Ones Actually Work? Retrieved on May 21, 2019 from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Have-Anti-Drinking/246328

  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2015). College Drinking. Retrieved on May 21, 2019 from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/CollegeFactSheet/Collegefactsheet.pdf

  Rutgers University. (2019). Heavy drinking may change DNA, leading to increased craving for alcohol. Retrieved on May 21, 2019 from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190129081939.htm

  Samuels, Alicia. (2019). Majority of campus alcohol policies fail to receive ‘most effective’ rating from experts. Retrieved on May 21, 2019 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-05-majority-campus-alcohol-policies-effective.html

  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018). Results from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables. Retrieved on May 21, 2019 from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHDetailedTabs2017/NSDUHDetailedTabs2017.pdf