The Culture ofCampus Drinking

Drinking on collegecampuses in the United States is more pervasive and destructivethan many people realize.Studies show that alcohol consumption is linked to atleast

1,400 student deathsand 500,000 unintentional injuries annually.Alcohol consumption by collegestudents is associated with drinking and driving,diminished academic

performance,andmedical and legal problems.Nondrinking students also may experiencealcohol-related consequences,such as increased rates of crime,trafficcrashes,rapes

and assaults,andproperty damage.

Traditions andbeliefs handed down through generations of college drinkers serve to reinforcestudents' expectations that alcohol is a necessary component of social

success.The role ofalcohol in college life is evident in the advertising and sale of alcoholicbeverages on or near campuses.This combination of social and environmental

influences creates aculture of drinking that passively or actively promotes the use of alcohol.

Yet efforts toreduce student drinking have largely been unsuccessful,in part because proven,research-based prevention strategies have not been consistently applied.It isfirst

necessary to changethe culture of college drinking if prevention strategies are to beeffective.The analysis strongly supports the use of a"3-in-1Framework"to target three

primary audiencessimultaneously:individual students,including high-risk drinkers;the studentbody as a whole;and the surrounding community.

The leadership ofcollege presidents and school administrators is crucial to develop appropriateplans,supervise the integration of policies pertaining to different aspects of

student life,andensure consistent enforcement of drinking-related policies.Alcohol consumption may lead to__________.

A.good academic performance

B.traffic jams

C.unintentional injuries

D.less crimes