Alcohol Is The Number One Drug Used By College Students

According to research and statistics, alcohol is the number one drug used by college students. Most individuals do not label alcohol as a drug due to the way it is consumed, but when considering the negative side effects that accompany alcohol, the comparison of alcohol to drugs may not be that far of a stretch. Alcohol can not only be harmful to an individual’s external health but also their internal health as well. Consumption of alcohol over a long period of time may result in negative side effects to your heart, liver, pancreas, immune system, and ultimately if enough is consumed may result in cancer. This addicting, yet dangerous drug is best known for its ability to relax the body, reduce tension, and ultimately place the body into a†¦show more content†¦(H. Wechsler, 2000) (H. Wechsler, J.E. Lee, M. Kuo, H. Lee, College binge drinking in the 1990s: A continuing problem Journal of American College Health, 48 (2000), pp. 199–210) Statistics show that the a verage college student will consume more than 34 gallons of alcohol each year. From an outside point of view, alcohol may seem harmless and a normal part of the college experience, however research suggests that alcoholism and the college athlete should not in fact go hand in hand. A survey was conducted at a large university and data was collected on intercollegiate athletes during the competitive season and during the off-season. Those who participated in the survey were asked to estimate the amount of alcohol consumption levels of 4 different groups of individuals; closest athlete friend, closest non-athlete friend, typical athlete, and typical non-athlete. Results of both in-season and off-season indicated that the athletes reported that others consumed more drinks per week than they did, and insights of these social averages predicted personal use. Although the typical athlete average emerged as the strongest predictor of personal alcohol use, the relative strength of the rela tionships between individual behavior and the athlete and non-athlete norms varied according to seasonal status. (Kristen Dams-O Connor, November 2007) (Social norms and alcohol consumption among intercollegiate athletes: The role of athlete and non-athlete reference groups, Kristen Dams-O