Survey: Binge Drinking Among College Students Increasing

By William J. Cromie

Gazette Staff

More students who drink are doing it just to get drunk, according to a Harvard survey released last week.

The probe of 14,521 students at 116 colleges found a 33 percent increase in students who say they drink with the sole purpose of getting drunk. In 1993, when Harvard conducted the first such survey, two out of every five student drinkers (39 percent) were in this category; by 1997, the number rose to more than half (52 percent).

The number of those who go on binges decreased slightly, to 43 percent in 1997 from 44 percent in 1993. However, the frequency of bingeing rose to 20.7 percent in 1997 from 19.5 percent in 1993. There was an increase in those who said they binged three or more times in a two-week period. Bingeing is defined as five consecutive drinks for a male, or four for a female. Whether they binged or not, 22 percent more students admitted to being drunk three or more times in the month before they filled out the survey questionnaire.

"I'm disappointed in the numbers," said Henry Wechsler, director of the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study. "Despite highly publicized tragedies and continuing examination of college drinking policies, . . . the extent and nature of binge drinking has not changed. In fact, there has been an intensification of severe drinking among drinkers. Fraternity and sorority members continue to be at the center of the campus alcohol culture. If colleges are to have an impact on their alcohol problems, they must drastically change this way of life."

Four of five fraternity and sorority members are binge drinkers, according to the survey.

The survey revealed some good news, however. About 3 percent more students in the 1997 study said they abstained from drinking. Of 14,521 students, 2,759 (19 percent) said they did not drink at all.

The small drop in binge drinking over four years is due mainly to the increase in abstainers. However, Wechsler points out, "this has been more than offset by the increased intensity of drinking among drinkers, more drinking to get drunk, more frequent drunkenness, and more alcohol-related problems such as drinking and driving."

Drinking at Harvard

Bingeing decreased at Harvard from 41 percent in 1993 to 37 percent in 1997. "That can be explained by the admission of a larger number of freshmen who did not binge in high school," Wechsler said.

"Bingeing is down but drinking to get drunk is up," noted David Rosenthal, director of University Health Services and Henry K. Oliver Professor of Hygiene. "Although Harvard remains below the national levels, we still have a big problem. A study of Harvard alumni shows that many students who were heavy drinkers became alcoholics and had other health problems later in life."

"Our numbers are somewhat lower than national averages, but by no means comfortingly low," agrees Harry R. Lewis, Dean of the College. ". . . Every year we have instances where students have put themselves in very serious medical jeopardy, often through consumption of mixtures containing unknown quantities of unknown alcoholic beverages."

Also disturbing is a nationwide increase in alcohol-related problems, including drinking and driving, property damage, injuries, and falling behind in school work. In 1997, one in five students admitted five or more different alcohol-related problems, an increase of 22 percent over 1993. More than one out of every three students reported driving after drinking, a 13 percent increase from 1993.

However, "if you ask students who binge if they have problems, they answer 'no,'" says Wechsler. "They consider themselves moderate drinkers, and say they can handle 10 drinks." In both 1993 and 1997, many students complained that they were affected by the disruptive behavior of drinkers. This behavior included being assaulted, being the target of unwanted sexual advances, having their property vandalized, or having study or sleep interrupted.

At Harvard, Dean Lewis notes, "almost every instance of serious behavioral misconduct (physical violence, destruction of property, etc.) is associated with alcohol. Even when drinking is not to a potentially lethal level, it impairs students' judgment in ways that can have serious long-term consequences for them."

He noted that the University approaches alcohol problems from several directions, including education of freshmen and their parents, cooperating with the surrounding community in enforcing drinking laws, and providing support programs for students concerned about their own drinking.

"We are fortunate in not having some of the things that other colleges have to deal with, fraternities in particular," Lewis comments. "We are also fortunate that virtually all our students live in Harvard housing. We will continue our efforts to enhance alcohol-free social events."

Lewis also promises to get tough with Final Clubs, "which have been a locus of abuse drinking," he says. Also, "a lot of work was done with undergraduate organizations and teams last year to try to get the leadership to encourage responsible behavior. And we have cooperated with a group of other universities that, over the summer, has been developing a mutually consistent set of policies" related to drinking.