• Click Here for a pdf version of the Drug and Alcohol Processes and Procedures

Alcohol Safety Tips

• Designate a sober driver.
• Don't drink on an empty stomach. Eat foods high in protein and fat, such as cheese or nuts.
• Set a limit and stick to it!
• Avoid beer bongs, chugging, and drinking games.
• Know when you've had enough.
• Alternate alcoholic beverages with water, and be sure to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
• Never drink when you're hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.
• Pace yourself. Drink slower and eat in between alcohol drinks. It takes the body 60-90 minutes to fully feel
• the effects of alcohol on a full stomach.
• Know the symptoms of alcohol poisoning.
• Never leave your drinks unattended or accept an open beverage from anyone.

Alcohol Contents                

Learn about the alcohol content of wine, beer, and liquor to help you and your friends drink responsibly. Please familiarize yourself with the alcohol percentages of your favorite drinks, both for your safety and your highway companions.

In the United States, a "standard" drink is any drink that contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of "pure" alcohol. Although the drinks below are different sizes, each contains approximately the same amount of alcohol and counts as a single standard drink (standard sizes are listed in fl oz).  click here for more info
How Strong is Your Drink of Choice?

Below are typical ranges of alcohol percentages by volume (ABV) of some common types of drinks. See the proceeding section for more on how the strength of different alcoholic beverages can be measured:

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

In Missouri, you can get a DWI if you drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher, regardless of whether your driving ability was actually impaired. The law in Missouri also says that if you are driving a vehicle, you have given consent to submit to a chemical test for the purpose of determining the amount of alcohol in your blood. If you refuse to take a test there consequences that will follow that could result in the suspension of your license for one year (577.041 RSMo.).

In Missouri, the maximum blood alcohol content (BAC) for drivers who are under 21 (considered minors under some drinking and driving laws) is 0.02%. Penalties include suspension of license 90 days (first offense); 1 year (any subsequent offense).

For more information on laws, penalties and fines in reference to Driving While Intoxicated

(DWI) please visit: http://dor.mo.gov/drivers/dwiinfo.php

BAC Effects Table (Click here for a Graphic Table)

ALCOHOL EFFECTS BY BAC LEVEL

BAC Calculator  http://sci9.com/sci9/p_litesoft/BAC.html

• Lincoln University BAC Calculator (National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration BAC Formula)
• Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) BAC iPhone App
• Other BAC Calculators 

Facts About Alcohol and Sexual Assaults

Cited Facts

• Men who have committed sexual assault also frequently report getting their female companion drunk as a way of making it easier to talk or force her into having sex. (Abbey, A., McAuslan, P. & Ross, L. Sexual Assault Perpetration by College Men: The Role of Alcohol, Misperception of Sexual Intent, and Sexual Beliefs and Experiences. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 17, 167-195. 1998.)
• Although the media has labeled drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB as the date-rape drugs of the present, these are only two of the many drugs used to incapacitate a victim. Of the 22 substances used in drug-facilitated rapes, alcohol is the most common. (LeBeau, M., et al., Recommendations for Toxicological Investigations of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assaults, Journal of Forensic Sciences. 1999.)
• Alcohol is many times a common factor in most cases of dating violence. Of campus sexual assaults, 75% involved the consumption of alcohol by the victim and/or the perpetrator. (Caponera, 1998)
• Of those involved in acquaintance rape, 75% of men and 55% of women had been drinking or taking drugs prior to the incident. (Caponera, B, 1998)
• In 55% of campus sexual assaults, the offender and/or victim were drinking or using drugs ("The Rape Victim: Clinical and Community Interventions," Sage Library of Social Research, 1991)
• At least 80% of college students who had unwanted sex were under the influence of alcohol. (Core Institute, University of Southern Illinois, 1995)
• Men are more likely than women to assume that a woman who drinks alcohol on a date is a willing sex partner. Of men who think this way, 40% also believe it is acceptable to force sex on an intoxicated woman.(Journal of American College Health, 1991)
• Of college women in Virginia who were raped, 47% believe they were unable to effectively resist as a result of their own alcohol use. (State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 1995)

Other Facts

• Assailants use many forms of coercion, threats and manipulation to rape including alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, Rohypnol and other drugs are often used to incapacitate victims.
• Alcohol impairs judgment and lowers inhibitions, making some people more likely to force sex on an unwilling partner.
• Alcohol slows reflexes and can impair the victim's ability to recognize a potentially dangerous situation.
• Under the influence of alcohol, men are more likely to interpret a woman's smile, laughter, clothes or body language as evidence that she wants to have sex.
• Sexual assault is a crime of violence: Alcohol never justifies violent, criminal behavior. Intoxication can never be used as a defense for someone who commits a sexual assault.

More Info on Research and Studies about Alcohol Use at Colleges & Universities

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/SupportingResearch/

Facts About Alcohol Poisoning

Excessive drinking can be hazardous to everyone's health! It can be particularly stressful if you are the sober one taking care of your drunk roommate, who is vomiting while you are trying to study for an exam.

Some people laugh at the behavior of others who are drunk. Some think it's even funnier when they pass out. But there is nothing funny about the aspiration of vomit leading to asphyxiation or the poisoning of the respiratory center in the brain, both of which can result in death.

Do you know about the dangers of alcohol poisoning? When should you seek professional help for a friend? Sadly enough, too many college students say they wish they would have sought medical treatment for a friend. Many end up feeling responsible for alcohol-related tragedies that could have easily been prevented.

Common myths about sobering up include drinking black coffee, taking a cold bath or shower, sleeping it off, or walking it off. But these are just myths, and they don't work.

The only thing that reverses the effects of alcohol is time-something you may not have if you are suffering from alcohol poisoning. And many different factors affect the level of intoxication of an individual, so it's difficult to gauge exactly how much is too much (BAC calculators).

What Happens to Your Body When You Get Alcohol Poisoning?

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex (which prevents choking). A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these functions. It is common for someone who drank excessive alcohol to vomit since alcohol is an irritant to the stomach. There is then the danger of choking on vomit, which could cause death by asphyxiation in a person who is not conscious because of intoxication.

You should also know that a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can continue to rise even while he or she is passed out. Even after a person stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. It is dangerous to assume the person will be fine by sleeping it off.

Critical Signs for Alcohol Poisoning

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, or person cannot be roused.
• Vomiting.
• Seizures.
• Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute).
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths).
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness.

What Should I Do If I Suspect Someone Has Alcohol Poisoning?

• Know the danger signals.
• Do not wait for all symptoms to be present.
• Be aware that a person who has passed out may die.
• If there is any suspicion of an alcohol overdose, call 911 for help. Don't try to
guess the level of drunkenness.

What Can Happen to Someone With Alcohol Poisoning That Goes Untreated?

• Victim chokes on his or her own vomit.
• Breathing slows, becomes irregular, or stops.
• Heart beats irregularly or stops.
• Hypothermia (low body temperature).
• Hypoglycemia (too little blood sugar) leads to seizures.
• Untreated severe dehydration from vomiting can cause seizures, permanent brain damage, or death.

Even if the victim lives, an alcohol overdose can lead to irreversible brain damage.
Rapid binge drinking (which often happens on a bet or a dare) is especially dangerous because the victim can ingest a fatal dose before becoming unconscious.

Don't be afraid to seek medical help for a friend who has had too much to drink. Don't worry that your friend may become angry or embarrassed-remember, you cared enough to help. Always be safe, not sorry.

Drugs Awareness Information Links

Drug Health Effects Table