Dying to Drink: Confronting Binge Drinking on College Campuses. - book review

Science News, March 8, 2003

HENRY WECHSLER AND BERNICE WUETHRICH

In the United States, two out of every five college students regularly binge drink. That's defined as at least four and five drinks in a row, respectively, for women and men. There are approximately 1,400 deaths associated with this behavior annually, in addition to at least half a million unintentional injuries. In 1993, Harvard University researcher Wechsler conducted the first national survey of college binge drinking, which he's updated three times since then. Teaming with science-writer Wuethrich he reveals some startling findings that point to binge drinking as the leading health issue on college campuses. Considering that students spend $5.5 billion a year on alcohol--more than they spend on schoolbooks and all other drinks combined--the problems are not so surprising. The authors reveal how a disproportionate number of assaults and rapes are linked to this behavior and examine how drinking is entrenched in college life. Wuethrich and Wechsler offer several suggestions for what can be done by students, college administrators, and parents to curb the college-campus drinking problem. Rodale Pr 2002, 322 p,, hardcover, $24.95.