Hermosillo 1

A[c1][c2]. Hermosillo

Ms. Khair

English 9 Honors

14 April 2005

Binge[c3] Drinking Crisis Reaches Epic Proportions

Despite the many recent alcohol-related deaths of college students, many continue to binge drink. About 44[c4]% of college students reported that they engage in excessive alcohol consumption and twice as many drink regularly (Sesno Reports). Over the years injuries, rapes, and fatalities due to alcohol have steadily risen. This[c5] college binge drinking dilemma has driven experts to search for solutions.

Over[c6] the years college binge drinking has evolved into a serious issue. Many fatalities and injuries have occurred as a result of this excessive alcohol consumption. Each year there are half a million alcohol-related injuries and 70,000 alcohol related assaults. Most importantly there are 1,400 alcohol related deaths every year (Sesno Reports). Samantha Spady, a CSU sophomore, died after consuming over 40 drinks within a 12 hour period (Whaley 6A). Drinking[c7] among college students has always been popular, but the number of drinks being consumed in one sitting has increased significantly. The binge drinking threshold is set at four drinks for women and five for men. College students now drink nine to ten drinks or more with the objective of getting drunk (Sesno Reports).

Many[c8] pressures to drink are placed upon college students. Fraternity and sorority pledges are sometimes forced to drink liquor as part of an initiation process. These events are dangerous and can lead to fatal consequences. Such was the case of Lynn “Gordie” Bailey Jr., a freshmanat the University of Colorado. He and 26 other fraternity pledges were ordered to drink ten bottles of whiskey and wine as an initiation celebration. Soon after, the six foot, 230 pound[c9] athlete collapsed in the Chi Psi house with a .328 blood-alcohol level. He was pronounced dead the next morning (Curtin 10C). Also appealing to the students are the number of bars located near the college campus, and the television and radio commercials which are aimed at underage drinkers. “There are several bars within walking distance of the campus that consistently serve underage students,” said Anne Coleman, a counseling psychologist at Providence College (Freyer). As for advertisements, 60,000 ads were more likely to be seen by youth, and the top 15 television shows watched by 12-17-year-olds in 2003 all contained ads for alcohol (Sesno Reports). With so many opportunities, low prices, and the relative ease of obtaining alcohol, it is simple to see how so many college students turn to alcohol to have a good time.

Solutions[c10] for this ever growing problem vary and may yield impressive or disappointing results. Among those being proposed are requiring live-in directors for fraternity or sorority houses, outlawing alcohol at parties, and requiring substance abuse programs (Curtin 10C). The most promising solution is CSU’s “Day IV” program. The university began studying Larimer County’s drug court program and decided to adopt a similar system for students who had repeatedly gotten into trouble because of substance abuse. After being enrolled in the program, a unique treatment plan is created for the individual and their personal problems. Random[c11] drug testing is given to the participants to ensure they keep their pledge of abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Also included in the Day IV guidelines are commitments for the students to enroll in learning -assistance programs, group meetings with others enrolled in the program,Hermosillo 3

medication, and counseling. Results have shown that at least 72% of students who get their Day IV diplomas ultimately graduate (Whaley 6A). This program is more successful because of its targeting of individuals rather than group rehab and the fact that it is the first collegiate drug and alcohol court.

Clearly[c12], binge drinking is getting out of hand and is cause for alarm. As the fatalities and assaults caused by binge drinking grow, so will the loss of potential. It may take more fatal cases of binge drinking before the public realizes that this is a serious issue that is in need of immediate attention[c13]. CSU’s Day IV program has come to be recognized by universities across the nation. It is possible that this drug and alcohol court is the first step to help college students sober up and focus on their education. Isn’t it time other universities took action?

Works[c14] Cited

“Alcohol-Related Issues on Campus.” Rocky Mountain News 12 Feb. 2005: 26A.

Curtin[c15], Dave. “CU Sets New Greek Policies.” The Denver Post 12 Feb. 2005: 1C+.

---. “Impasse Persists over Proposals.” The Denver Post 6 Feb. 2005: 5C.

Freyer[c16], Felice J. “Binge Drinking Among College Students Holds Steady.”The Providence Journal 24 March 2002. MAS Ultra-SchoolEdition. EBSCO Cherokee Trail High School Library, CO. 2 April2005 <

“Senso[c17] Reports: America Drinks.” With Frank Senso. PBS. Denver. Dec. 2004.

Whaley, Monte. “Other Schools may Emulate CSU Drug, Alcohol Program.” The Denver Post 28 Feb. 2005: 1A+.

[c1]Use 1 inch margins. Double space throughout and do not justify the right margin.

[c2]Put last name and page numbers as a header on each page, ½ inch from top. Use “insert – page number – top – example 3.”

[c3]Don’t underline, don’t use quotations, and don’t use all caps for title.

[c4]Use some form of attention getter (grammber) in the introduction (i.e. shocking fact).

[c5]Include thesis in introductory paragraph.

[c6]Make sure each body paragraph has its own topic sentence.

[c7]Include parenthetical references for all quotes, paraphrased ideas, and opinions.

[c8]Be sure to use a topic sentence in each paragraph to make the subtopic clear.

[c9]Keep margins consistent. One inch margins are preferred.

[c10]Be sure each body paragraph contains at topic sentence.

[c11]Use a simple 12 point font such as Times, Garamond, or Palatino. Do not use fancy fonts, even in titles.

[c12]Restate thesis in the concluding paragraph. Be sure to use different words to express the same idea.

[c13]Use a conclusion that does not simply summarize. This conclusion calls for the reader to take action (an “encouraging” conclusion) and also uses a thought-provoking questions.

[c14]The Works Cited page beings on a separate page. Double space all lines of an entry and between all entries.

[c15]The first line of each entry is flush with the left margin. Each subsequent line is indented.

[c16]Works Cited entries are alphabetized by author’s last name or first word of title (if no author is given).

[c17]These entries are from newspaper, databases, and television. Please see other links for how to write a Works cited entry for other types of sources.