The beer keg. It’s nearly synonymous with college life. Stereotypes of drunken students in jam packed Greek house basements abound in college lore. Fake ID’s, hangovers and black out zaniness are badges of honor for many who have attended or aspire to attend college - which, first and foremost (let’s remember) is supposedly an academic experience.
But drinking is central to the college experience you might say. Some might argue that, with college marking the entry point to adulthood for most students, developing an understanding of one’s tolerance for and limits with alcohol is a valid and important part of an education. Alcohol, after all, is a staple of adult life. Sure, there is always the option to categorically refuse to consume alcohol. But it will be offered. It will be there.
One study showed that nearly 60% of college students had consumed alcohol in the prior month, with two out of three of these same students engaging in binge drinking behaviors (American Addiction Centers, 2020). Binge drinking is defined as drinking that brings the blood alcohol level to .08 or above. This typically occurs when men consume more than five drinks, and women consume more than four drinks, in under two hours (Centers for Disease Control, 2019)
If we are to assume that college students are going to indulge, what is the potential impact in this very special Fall semester – the Fall of 2020 – in the midst of a global pandemic?
In some ways the risks of binge drinking on campus this fall are no different than any other time. Binge drinking, even not during a pandemic, is associated with premature death, assault, sexual assault/rape, lower academic achievement, higher rates of academic class absence, suicide attempts, physical injury, vandalism and motor vehicle violations. In the long term, there are documented physical health effects from binge drinking: sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, poor pregnancy outcomes, sudden infant death syndrome, cancer (especially breast, mouth, esophagus, liver and colon), heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and memory problems (Centers for Disease Control, 2019).
Many college students may be observing – or have observed, if they are back at campus now – their parents drinking more in these last weeks and months. As COVID 19 took hold back in March, alcohol sales rose at noticeable rates: up 27.6 % for wine (but 53% for 3 liter boxed wine), up 26.4% for spirits, up 14% for beer in general - but up 24% for 24 packs of beer. Online liquor sales were up 42% overall (Jernigan, 2020). A prior study on the impact of the SARS outbreak in China in 2003 showed higher rate of alcohol use related disorders three years later.
So there’s been some modeling. And now college students are back on campus, out from under an even casual observing parental eye. The booze is there. It’s fun. And everyone is doing it. It’s something students still can do amidst limitations upon access to other campus typical offerings. Alcohol can seem easy.
But how does binge drinking impact factor into what is happening on campus this fall in particular? People who are alcohol dependent actually have compromised immune systems, causing them to have reduced capacity to fight off viruses like COVID 19 (American Heart Association, 2020). Social distancing may also be reduced as inebriated students become less aware of detail in their surroundings. Case rates are up on college campuses and parties are being fingered as one of the major causes.
Rates of binge drinking on campus this Fall actually wind up mattering a lot in the short term. This alone may define whether college campuses ultimately are able to stay open.
American Addiction Centers (2020). Binge drinking on college campuses. https://www.alcohol.org/teens/college-campuses/ (Retrieved August 30, 2020).
American Heart Association (2020). COVID 19 brings new concerns about excessive drinking. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/07/01/covid-19-pandemic-brings-new-concerns-about-excessive-drinking (Retrieved August 30, 2020).
Centers for Disease Control (2019). Binge Drinking. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm (Retrieved August 30, 2020).
Grayer, A. & Stuart, E. (2020). Hundred of COVID-19 cases reported as students return to college campuses. https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/18/health/colleges-return-coronavirus-cases-wellness/ (Retrieved August 30, 2020).
Jernigan, D.H. (2020). America is drinking its way through the coronavirus crisis – and that’s no party: A surge in alcohol use disorders likely lies ahead. https://www.phillyvoice.com/alcohol-coronavirus-covid-19-america-drinking-future-health-problems/ (Retrieved August 30, 2020).