The effects of alcohol in College Students

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On college campuses across America, the use of alcohol has been an topic in need of explanation for many years. The concept will be explaned with emphise on the negative effects of hooch. Alcohol in cardio-sport athletes is especially harmful. But at any rate the negative concepts apply to all student. Besides the fact that a large number of students are underage when they drink, alcohol can put students in dangerous situations and give them a headache long after the hangover is gone. The short and long term effects alcohol has can impair students physically and mentally, impacting their education and health. In order to explain how alcohol can fully affect university students, the source of the issue must first be considered. Intoxication is, “…when the quantity of alcohol the person consumes exceeds the individual's tolerance for alcohol and produces behavioral or physical abnormalities. In other words, the person's mental and physical abilities are impaired” (“Alcohol”). Ethanol is a certain type of depressant alcohol that is responsible for these abnormalities. Depressants give the feeling of intoxication because they restrain the brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of the body. The intensity of the effects varies from person to person and depends on the amount of alcohol that is absorbed into the bloodstream. For example, if a person has a few drinks, ethanol can make him or her more sociable, increase confidence, or slightly decrease concentration and coordination. While drinking, the logical thought process can become disrupted without much notice, leading to unintended situations. At parties on university campuses, drinking games are a way for students to leisurely interact while usually drinking more than they normally would. Although the objective of most students during these games may be harmless, there some students that have a hidden agenda. Thomas J. Johnson reports in a current article that “Drinking games are a popular context for college student drinking and appear to be strongly associated with incidents of sexual victimization” (304). He goes on to note, “As many as 80% of students may participate in a drinking game at some point during their college career” (304). It is clear that sexual aggression is an issue that affects every college student, whether he or she is dr... ... middle of paper ... ...735. Expanded Academic ASAP. Cullom-Davis Library. 18 Feb 2005 . Johnson, Thomas J. and Courtney Stahl. “Sexual experiences associated with participation in drinking games.” The Journal of General Psychology July 2004: 131. : 304. Expanded Academic ASAP. Cullom-Davis Library. 18 Feb 2005 . Langley, John D., Kypros Kypri, and Shaun C.R. Stephenson. “Secondhand effects of alcohol use among university students: computerised survey.” British Medical Journal 1 Nov 2003: 327. :1023. Expanded Academic ASAP. Cullom-Davis Library. 18 Feb 2005 . Turner; James C. and Jianfen Shu. “Serious health consequences associated with alcohol use among college students: demographic and clinical characteristics of patients seen in an emergency department.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol March 2004: 65. : 179. Expanded Academic ASAP. Cullom-Davis Library. 18 Feb 2005 . Wolaver, Amy M. “Effects of heavy drinking in college on study effort, grade point average, and major choice.” Contemporary Economic Policy Oct 2002: 20. : 415. Expanded Academic ASAP. Cullom-Davis Library. 18 Feb 2005 .

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