how many colleges require an alcohol awareness course

by Lance Tromp 9 min read

Alcohol programs and courses as a requirement of college students is a current, widespread movement to educate underage students about alcohol consumption in efforts to make binge drinking decrease, and safer students. Currently 747 schools in the United States require some sort of alcohol education.

Full Answer

What is an alcohol awareness program?

Alcohol awareness programs provide individuals with the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies. WHO SHOULD BE CERTIFIED?

Should college students have to take alcohol courses?

Alcohol programs and courses as a requirement of college students is a current, widespread movement to educate underage students about alcohol consumption in efforts to make binge drinking decrease, and safer students. Currently 747 schools in the United States require some sort of alcohol education.

Why is alcohol awareness training important for servers?

Alcohol awareness training is often used by establishments to get lower insurance rates and as a sound defense in the face of any legal action taken against them. But it has also become increasingly important for servers to protect themselves.

Do all states require alcohol education in public schools?

Alcohol education standards in K–12 public schools vary from state to state. In rare cases, some states such as Alaska do not require a statewide alcohol education program in their public schools. In other states, such as Delaware, the requirements are much more stringent.

What percentage of college students meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder?

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Around 9 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 meet the criteria for past-year AUD, according to a 2019 national survey.

What percentage of college students drink alcohol?

Research shows that more than 80 percent of college students drink alcohol, and almost half report binge drinking in the past 2 weeks. Virtually all college students experience the effects of college drinking—whether they drink or not.

What college consumes the most alcohol?

According to the Princeton Review, below are the top 10 schools where hard liquor is consumed the most:Syracuse University.Bentley University.Wake Forest University.Grinnell College.Tulane University.University of California – Santa Barbara.University of Maine.Union College (NY)More items...

What is an alcohol awareness program?

Alcohol awareness programs provide individuals with the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies.

Why are college students obsessed with drinking?

To alleviate some of their stress, students often turn to alcohol because of its relaxant effects. Alcohol has been known to take the edge off anxiety and nervousness.

Why is drinking so popular in college?

College students are more likely to binge drink for several reasons. These factors include a wide availability of alcohol on campus, increased social pressure to drink, and academic-related stress. Students who join fraternities or sororities are more likely to drink alcohol and binge drink compared with their peers.

What college drinks the most hard liquor?

In the just-released 2019 edition of its annual college rankings, Princeton Review places UCSB in first place in the Lots of Hard Liquor category. “Students looking to avoid drinking and drug culture entirely,” it warns, “might be best advised to look elsewhere.”

What happens if you get caught drinking in college?

Consequences of College Alcohol Violations In general, these are some of the consequences you could face from your school's administration: Verbal or written reprimand. Academic, disciplinary, or athletic probation. Loss of privileges (sports, clubs, etc.)

How many people get drunk in college?

Roughly 20% of college students meet the criteria for having an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Close to 60% of college students between the ages of 18 and 22 admitted to drinking in the past month. Of those, nearly two in every three engaged in binge drinking.

Is awareness a program?

Awareness programs means community-wide or audience-specific programming, initiatives, and strategies that increase audience knowledge and share information and resources to prevent violence, promote safety, and reduce perpetration.

What is an awareness team?

About this training package. Team Awareness is a workplace-training program that addresses behavioral risks associated with substance abuse among employees, their coworkers and, indirectly, their families.

What is an awareness group?

The Awareness Group is a California corporation dedicated to substance abuse prevention, education, and rehabilitation of persons whose lives are affected by alcohol and other drugs. Services are provided in an atmosphere of respect for each individual, with professionalism and dignity at the core of our services.

What is binge drinking?

According to Jim LaPierre, a clinical social worker and therapist in Maine, “Binge drinking is episodically using alcohol in what is typically cons...

Why should college students be concerned about binge drinking?

LaPierre says college students should be concerned about binge drinking for a number of reasons. Alcohol is a toxin and a depressant. As a drug, it...

What is alcohol abuse?

“Substances are inanimate objects — we don’t abuse them, we abuse ourselves with them,” says LaPierre. Alcohol abusers are usually heavy drinkers w...

Isn’t wild drinking just a part of college life/culture?

Drinking is common on many college campuses, but that doesn’t make binge drinking and alcohol abuse acceptable or healthy.

Is wanting to get buzzed or drunk a bad reason for drinking?

Everyone knows a drink or two can leave you feeling “good”, relaxed or buzzed. That’s why most people drink in the first place.

I only had a couple beers. Why do I still need a designated driver?

LaPierre says even moderate use of alcohol can slow reflexes and decision making. Having a designated driver ensures safety and can prevent tragedy...

How can I tell if I’ve been drinking too much?

Slurred speech, blurred vision, lack of coordination, dehydration and vomiting are all typical signs someone has been drinking too much. But relyin...

What is alcohol poisoning?

Alcohol poisoning is the dangerous, sometimes deadly, result of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time. “It’s a medical condit...

How can you tell if someone has alcohol poisoning?

Signs of alcohol poisoning include blacking out/loss of consciousness and being highly confused or lethargic. If you notice these symptoms in a fri...

What do I do if I have a drinking problem?

If you think you have a drinking problem, don’t hesitate to get help. “If a person becomes aware that they have a drinking problem, they should sha...

How many schools require alcohol education?

Currently 747 schools in the United States require some sort of alcohol education.

What was the purpose of alcohol education?

Initially, alcohol education focused on how the consumption of alcoholic beverages affected society, as well as the family unit. In the 1930s, this came to also incorporate education pertaining to alcohol's effects on health. For example, even light and moderate alcohol consumption increases cancer risk in individuals.

What is Drinkwise Australia?

DrinkWise Australia is the most prominent organization in Australia aimed at educating the public on alcohol use, mainly focused on teenagers. Their campaign urging school leavers to drink responsibly (titled "How to Drink Properly") is believed to have been successful. One in three 18- to 24-year-olds who saw the campaign said they reduced their drinking on a night out, and just over half of young adults said the campaign helped them discuss their drinking habits. The campaign won a Silver Spike award at the 2014 Spike Asia awards.

What organization was founded to promote alcohol education?

Organizations such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the United States were founded to promulgate alcohol education alongside those of the temperance movement, such as the American Council on Alcohol Problems.

How to teach alcohol to teens?

Protecting youth and keeping them safe from harm has to be a goal of any alcohol education program. Such programs are required to: 1 Provide accurate, truthful and unbiased information about alcohol and its consumption. 2 Distinguish between abuse and use of alcohol. 3 Teach the possible consequences of underage purchase, possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages under the legal age. 4 Teach effective ways to reduce the potential threat/harm that can be a result from the abuse of alcohol.

What is the approach to alcoholism?

This approach treats alcohol as if it were a disease. The alcoholism approach compares the negative effects of alcohol to the negative effect of other diseases. It focuses on the negative physiological and psychological effect of the drug. Although this approach may be helpful to point out signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse it fails to discourage a person from drinking, responsibly or irresponsibly.

What are the factors that influence how alcohol affects a person?

Factors such as: an individuals age, level of education, gender, genetic background, and family history of alcoholism. Educating an individual about alcohol beforehand could be a tremendous eye-opener, especially with the developing brain of students.

How many college students don't drink?

25% of college students do not drink. When asked how many of their peers don’t drink, students estimated the number to be just five percent. 20% of college students qualify for an alcohol use disorder, which includes alcohol abuse on one end and alcoholism at the extreme end.

How many drinks can you drink in an hour?

One Hour = One Drink. Everyone’s metabolism is different and every drink is different, but the general rule is that the body can metabolize about one unit of alcohol (one beer, glass of wine, or shot) per hour. Drinking faster than this leads to drunkenness.

How do you know if you are addicted to alcohol?

According to LaPierre, the signs of alcohol abuse are slurred speech, unsteady gait, impulsiveness, poor decision making, high-risk behaviors, changes in personality and otherwise acting out of character, slowed reflexes, difficulty concentrating, incoherent rambling and circular thinking and speaking.

Why is it difficult to monitor intoxication levels?

But relying on physical symptoms of intoxication to determine if you’ve reached an unhealthy limit can be problematic because everyone’s tolerance and self-awareness is different . And if students have been mixing alcohol with other things – such as caffeine – intoxication levels become even harder to monitor.

What does it mean when you get caught on campus?

Getting caught on campus means the college’s own policies determine the consequences. But most roads are not on campus. Getting caught for a DUI results in a suspended license in most states, and some require jail time plus fines. Not to mention higher insurance rates.

Is drinking alcohol for the first time dangerous?

But for college students taking a sip of alcohol for the first time, it’s easy to go overboard and into dangerous territory. Below are 10 tips to keep you and others safe while drinking without sacrificing any of the fun. 1. Learn Your Limit.

Is alcohol a problem in college?

Alcohol use is seemingly embedded within much of college culture but not necessarily in a healthy way. Binge drinking and alcohol abuse continues to be a public health problem on college campuses but there are things students can do to raise awareness and effect change. This guide offers students 21 and older expert tips on how to keep themselves ...

What percentage of college students have alcohol use disorder?

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Around 9 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 meet the criteria for past-year AUD, according to a 2019 national survey. 7.

How many college students die from alcohol?

The most recent statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) estimate that about 1,519 college students ages 18 to 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes. 3

How much alcohol is in binge drinking?

NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent—or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter—or higher.*. For a typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours. 8. ...

How much alcohol is in a standard drink?

In the United States, a standard drink (or one alcoholic drink-equivalent) is one that contains 0.6 fl oz or 14 grams of pure alcohol (also known as an alcoholic drink- equivalent), which is found in the following: 12.0 oz of beer with about 5 percent alcohol content. 5.0 oz of wine with about 12 percent alcohol content.

What happens if you drink too much alcohol?

Over the long term, frequent binge drinking can damage the liver and other organs. *BAC of 0.08 percent corresponds to 0.08 grams per 100 milliliters.

How many times a week do college students drink?

In a national survey, college students who binge drank alcohol at least three times per week were roughly six times more likely to perform poorly on a test or project as a result of drinking (40 percent vs. 7 percent) than students who drank but never binged.

How much alcohol is in 1.5 oz of gin?

1.5 oz of distilled spirits (e.g., gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey) with about 40 percent alcohol content. Unfortunately, although the standard drink (or alcoholic drink-equivalent) amounts are helpful for following health guidelines, they may not reflect customary serving sizes.

What is alcohol awareness training?

Alcohol Awareness Training is all about protecting you, your employer, and the customer. Face it, some people are simply incapable of determining whether or not they’ve had too much to drink. That’s where you, the professional bartender, comes in. Anyone that overdrinks can put themselves in great physical danger.

Can a bartender be held liable for drunk driving?

And then there’s the Dram Shop Liability. Basically, this law states that a bartender, or anyone serving alcohol, can be held liable if a customer leaves the premises and is involved in a drunk driving accident. Not good.

Is serving alcohol a business?

Local laws can be fickle, and it just makes sense to ensure sure all employees are aware of the laws. Serving alcohol is serious business.

Is alcohol awareness training required?

Alcohol Awareness Training may or may not be required by your state. Once you are hired, management will let you know what’s required. Don’t stress out about it as it’s really not that hard.

Do bartenders need to be trained?

Bartenders are not the only employees that need to be trained regarding serving alcohol. Anyone in the food and beverage industry, liquor store clerks, convenience store clerks, retail grocery store outlets, etc., may also be required to get some sort of alcohol awareness training. This training is not just for the employees actually selling ...

Why is alcohol awareness training important?

Alcohol certification is required by many bars and insurance companies. Alcohol awareness training is often used by establishments to get lower insurance rates and as a sound defense in the face of any legal action taken against them. But it has also become increasingly important for servers to protect themselves.

What is an alcohol certification?

An alcohol certification program is designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving by enhancing the fundamental “people skills” of servers, employees, and consumers of alcohol.

Is serving drinks fun?

Serving drinks may seem glamorous and fun, but it’s also serious business. When alcohol is involved, people — and situations — can sometimes get out of hand. That’s where alcohol-awareness training programs come in.

Overview

Alcohol prevention and education in the school system

Alcohol education standards in K–12 public schools vary from state to state. In rare cases, some states such as Alaska do not require a statewide alcohol education program in their public schools. In other states, such as Delaware, the requirements are much more stringent. Delaware's students must complete 10 hours of training per year relating to drugs including alcohol in grades K-4 and 15 hours in grades 5–12.

Definition

Alcohol education is the planned provision of information and skills relevant to living in a world where alcohol is commonly misused. The World Health Organisations (WHO) Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, highlights the fact that alcohol will be a larger problem in later years, with estimates suggesting it will be the leading cause of disability and death. Informing people on alcohol and harmful drinking should become a priority.

Goals

Educating youth about alcohol use is an attempt at minimizing the risk of developing a substance use disorder in the future. Drinking alcoholic beverages is among the major causes of health problems world-wide. Substance use at a young age can lead to a variety of health risks, both immediate and later in life. Educating the youth about the effects of alcohol and health problems that come with it earlier on in life may help prevent the damage before it is done.

Effects of alcohol on the brain

Alcohol has been known to have grave effects on the human brain. It has been shown that heavy drinking may have extensive and far-reaching effects on the brain such as simple "slips" in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions. Moderate drinking can even lead to the same types of impairments related with heavy drinking. Effects of long-term and short-term alcohol intake may include difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impai…

History in the United States

Teaching about alcohol consumption has been a controversial topic for schools in the United States due to the differing viewpoints of Americans on the subject. A variety of educational methods that reflect these viewpoints have been developed and tried over the last century, but have yielded little behavioral change. These methods have included:
The abstinence model is commonly known as "don't do it". This model represents alcohol as bad …

Alcohol in the marketplace

People often wonder if alcohol education programs are worth the money. According to the article "What We Can—and Cannot—Expect from School-Based Drug Prevention," out of The Journal of Drug and Alcohol Review, an average substance use disorder program costing $150 can save $840 in social costs per participant. Granted this study focused on more than just alcohol, but at 28 percent alcohol was responsible for the second highest amount of social savings. Social savi…

History in Australia

In Australia teenage alcohol use is a growing problem; in 2011 74% of Australian students aged between 12 and 17 had tried alcohol in the past year, and in 2010 a study showed that 31% of 16- to 17-year-old students had consumed more than 20 standard drinks in one session. Every year, 5,500 people in Australia die, and around 157,000 are hospitalised from directly drinking alcohol. 400 more lives are lost from alcohol-related assaults. It is costing the country around $36 billion …