Myth or Fact

Myth #1: Students only drink alcoholic beverages when they party or socialize

Fact: 34% of UM students alternate non-alcoholic and with alcoholic beverages when partying. This can help maintain a lower blood alcohol content, and reduce the chance of hangovers*.

Myth #2: Students do not plan ahead of time how much they will drink

Fact: 40% of UM students determine in advance not to exceed a set number of drinks and 70% keep track of how many drinks they consume when they party*.

Myth #3: All Maryland students drink alcohol

Fact: 21% of Maryland students choose not to drink alcohol*.

Myth #4: Most UM students drink on an empty stomach

Fact: 83% of UM students eat before/during drinking. This helps to slow the absorption of alcohol*.

Myth #5: Most students drink more than 4 drinks each time they party

Fact: 64% of UM students drink 4 or fewer each time they party or socialize, and 82% drink 6 or fewer each time they party*.

 *Statistics come from the National College Health Assessment, 2008

What’s my Blood Alcohol Content (B.A.C.)?

Your BAC is the concentration of alcohol in your blood, and is expressed as the grams of alcohol per liter of blood (g/L).

What is a safe BAC?

The only safe BAC level is 0.0, but most impairment begins around BAC’s of about .06. It is also important to note, that not everyone will experience the same effects from alcohol.

What BAC’s correspond to what responses?

0.02 — 0.03: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not apparent. Mildly relaxed and maybe a little lightheaded.

0.04 — 0.06: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution. Your behavior may become exaggerated and emotions intensified (Good emotions are better, bad emotions are worse)

0.07 — 0.09: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Judgment and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired (in all states .08 is legally impaired and it is illegal to drive at this level). You will probably believe that you are functioning better than you really are.

0.10 — 0.125: Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment. Speech may be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria.

0.13 — 0.15: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria* is beginning to appear. Judgment and perception are severely impaired.
( * —Dysphoria: An emotional state of anxiety, depression, or unease.)

0.16 — 0.19: Dysphoria predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."

0.20: Feeling dazed/confused or otherwise disoriented. May need help to stand/walk. If you injure yourself you may not feel the pain. Some people have nausea and vomiting at this level. The gag reflex is impaired and you can choke if you do vomit. Blackouts are likely at this level so you may not remember what has happened.

0.25: All mental, physical and sensory functions are severely impaired. Increased risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself by falls or other accidents.

0.30: STUPOR. You have little comprehension of where you are. You may pass out suddenly and be difficult to awaken.

 

0.35: Coma is possible. This is the level of surgical anesthesia.

0.40: Onset of coma, and possible death due to respiratory arrest.

 **Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Alcohol Poisoning

Know the symptoms of alcohol poisoning. It could save someone’s life.

Call for help.

Care for the person once you have called for help.

 Know

• Passed out
• Vomiting while passed out and not waking up
• Slow and shallow breathing - less than 12 breaths per minute – or not breathing at all
• Cold and clammy skin
• Skin and/or lips are pale or bluish in color
• Person is unconscious

Call

Call for help

• Dial 911

• 301.405.3333 (University Police Emergency Number)

• Find a Resident Assistant

• 301.314.9386 (University Health Center After Hours NurseLine)

 Care

• Call 911.
• If possible, get your friend to a safe place
• Stay until help arrives
• Try to find out how much alcohol was consumed, what was consumed, and if any other drugs were taken
• Turn your friend on their side to prevent choking on their vomit
• Don’t give food or water to sober up.  This poses a choking hazard.
• Don’t put the person in a cold shower – the shock may cause him/her to pass out
• Don’t let leave your friend unattended
• Don’t try to get the person to walk/run/exercise off being intoxicated.  This can cause can result in injury.