Facts About Alcohol Use Among College Students
National statistics
- 31% of college students meet the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse
- 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related injuries
- 599,000 experience a non-fatal, unintentional injury under the influence of alcohol
- 97,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or rape each year
Penn State statistics
- 48% report engaging in high risk drinking*
- 73% had to babysit a student who drank too much
- 9% have been a victim of an unwanted sexual experience
- 59% report blacking out at least once in the last year
- 26% report getting behind in school work due to alcohol abuse
*High-risk, or binge, drinking is defined as having four or more drinks in two hours for women, and five or more drinks in two hours for men.
Risky behaviors include:
- Underage drinking
- Drinking (or pre-gaming) before going out
- Chugging alcohol, doing shots, and drinking games
- Choosing drinks with higher alcohol concentration
Warning signs of a potential problem:
- Missing work, school, or other responsibilities
- Specific school problems such as poor attendance, low grades, and/or recent disciplinary action
- Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, including drinking and driving a car
- Having recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for underage drinking or for physically hurting someone while drunk
- Mood changes such as temper flareups, irritability, and defensiveness
- Physical or mental problems such as memory lapses, poor concentration, bloodshot eyes, lack of coordination, or slurred speech
Penn State has a wide range of initiatives in place to better understand, treat, and diminish the negative impact that dangerous drinking can have on students and on their potential for success. As a parent, you also play a role in helping your student make good choices about drinking. Your influence can have a positive impact on your student’s safety, health, and well-being. Below are suggestions for talking with your student about alcohol.
Talking with Your Student About Alcohol
Students preparing to attend college have already taken several steps toward independence. Deciding where to go to college, what career path to pursue, and how to finance an education are all choices on the path to learning how to be an adult. But they are not there yet. College students still need and value their parents’ guidance as they make decisions about their future. One of those decisions is about alcohol use at college and parents are one of the best sources of advice on the issue.
Based on national research about college-student drinking, many new students are likely to begin or increase alcohol use during the first six weeks. Even students who did not drink in high school may feel pressure to do so in college. Talk with your student about avoiding underage drinking while in college.
Research suggests that students who talk with their parents about alcohol avoidance strategies before the first year of college are more likely to avoid alcohol, limit its use, and spend less time with heavily-drinking peers.
Start the conversation
When talking with your student about alcohol, look for opportunities to raise the topic naturally. Discussions about majors and course selection can lead to a conversation about the ways alcohol can disrupt academic success and career options.
Familiarize yourself with how alcohol affects the body and brain of young adults. Take some time to evaluate your own attitudes, values, and beliefs about alcohol and drinking. Establish open communication to make it easy for your student to talk honestly with you. Show your student that you care about their success in college, both academically and socially. Here are some conversation starters:
- How will you decide whether or not to drink while attending Penn State?
- How will you handle it if you feel pressure to drink? What will you say?
- What will you do if a friend you are with passes out because of excessive drinking?
- How will you handle it if you are asked to “babysit” someone who is very drunk?
Talk with your student about:
- How alcohol affects the body and the negative consequences of high-risk drinking
- Your expectations around alcohol use
- Why students drink
- Why students don’t drink
- Alternate activities
- Impact of drinking on health and academic success
- Penn State’s alcohol policy
- Pennsylvania’s alcohol laws
- Student Code of Conduct
- Penn State’s Responsible Action Protocol
Source: Portions of this section come from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). “Talking with your college-bound young adult about alcohol.” U.S. Health and Human Services. Washington, DC.
Stay connected after your student leaves for college
- Stay involved with your student’s life at Penn State.
- Call or text your student frequently during the first six weeks of college, especially on weekends.
- Ask questions about your student’s alcohol use.
- Learn about your student’s roommates (if applicable) and their new friends.
- Encourage your student to get involved in activities and organizations on campus.
Sources:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism—College Drinking Prevention website (2010). What parents need to know about college drinking. National Institutes of Health. Bethesda, Maryland.
Turrisi, R., Mallett, K.A., Cleveland, M., Warvil-Weld, L., Abar, C.C., Scaglione, N. & Hultgren, B. (2013). An evaluation of timing and dosage of a parent-based intervention to minimize college students’ alcohol consumption. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 74(1), 30-40.
Turrisi, Rob. (2010). A parent handbook for talking with college students about alcohol. The Pennsylvania State University. University Park, PA.
Parental Notification Policy
Understand Penn State’s parental notification policy; make sure your student completes Penn State SAFE, the online alcohol program (see below); and encourage conversations by asking nonjudgmental and open-ended questions. This allows your student the opportunity to express how they think and feel about college pressures and facing new situations. Here are some conversation starters for discussing issues your student may face.
Safety Awareness
Penn State SAFE and AWARE is an interactive, online program incoming students are required to complete. The program provides information about alcohol, the alcohol laws in Pennsylvania, and Penn State’s alcohol and other drug policy. It also provides information about sexual assault, the sexual violence laws in Pennsylvania, and Penn State’s resources for victims of sexual violence.
Students should complete Part 1 of Penn State SAFE and AWARE by:
- June 29, 2022 (summer students)
- August 22, 2022 (fall students)
- January 9, 2023 (spring students)
Explore the family version of Penn State SAFE and AWARE.
Alcohol Laws in Pennsylvania
This is a general summary of several alcohol laws in Pennsylvania. For more details about each law and for information about additional alcohol laws, visit legis.state.pa.us.
Underage Drinking
It is illegal for anyone under 21 years of age to attempt to purchase, consume, possess, or knowingly and intentionally transport any liquor, malt or brewed beverage.
| Penalty | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | Subsequent Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $0–500 | $0–1,000 | $0–1,000 |
| Jail | 0–90 days | 0–90 days | 0–90 days |
Carrying False I.D.
It is illegal for anyone under 21 to possess an identification card falsely identifying that person by name, age, date of birth, or photograph as being 21 or older or obtain or attempt to obtain liquor, malt, or brewed beverage by using the identification card of another or by using an identification card that has not been lawfully issued to or in the name of the person who possesses the card.
| Penalty | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | Subsequent Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $0–500 | $0–500 | $0–500 |
| Jail | 0–90 days | 0–1 year | 0–1 year |
Public Drunkenness
It is illegal to appear in any public place under the influence of alcohol to the degree that you may endanger yourself or other persons or property, or annoy others in your vicinity.
| Penalty | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | Subsequent Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $0–500 | $0–1,000 | $0–1,000 |
| Jail | 0–90 days | 0–90 days | 0–90 days |
Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
It is illegal for anyone under 21 to drive a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .02 or higher, and it is illegal for those 21 or older to drive with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher. A first-time offender, under certain circumstances, may qualify for an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program.
If a person is convicted of a DUI when under 21, with a blood alcohol content below .16%, possible penalties include:
| Penalty* | 1st Offense | 2nd Offense | Subsequent Offense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $500–5,000 | $750–5,000 | $1,500–10,000 |
| Jail | 48 hours–6 months | 30 days–6 months | 90 days–5 years |
| License Suspension | 1 year | 1 year | 1.5 years |
| Other | Alcohol Highway Safety School; Court Reporting Network File | Alcohol Highway Safety School; Court Reporting Network File | Court Reporting Network File; Drug & Alcohol Evaluation |
*Penalties differ based on age, blood alcohol content and other factors. Penalties vary for individuals under 18.
Note: If a student is from a state other than PA and the home state is part of the national compact on DUI enforcement (46 states are), the student must fulfill these penalties in PA and his/her license from the home state will be suspended, if applicable.
Furnishing Alcohol to Minors
It is illegal to knowingly sell, furnish, or purchase with the intent to sell or furnish, any liquor, malt or brewed beverage to a person who is less than 21 years of age. You can be convicted of furnishing alcohol even if you are under age 21. The fine for a first offense is at least $1,000 and a second or more is $2,500. Jail is up to one year for all.
Public Urination & Defecation Ordinance
It is illegal to urinate or defecate in/on a public place, private property where the public is admitted, and private property without consent of the owner. It is illegal to urinate or defecate in any public place other than in an appropriate sanitary facility and a separate offense to fail to clean, remove, or dispose of it properly. Violations are summary offenses with a fine of not less than $750 for the first offense and $1,000 for any subsequent offense plus court costs for each violation.
Marijuana Laws
Possession of Marijuana
It is unlawful for a person to knowingly or intentionally possesses marijuana (including hashish), a Schedule I substance.
Persons engaged in such activity will most likely face criminal charges and a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
| Quantity* | Charge | Jail Time | Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 grams or less | Misdemeanor | 30 days | $0–500 |
| Over 30 grams | Misdemeanor | 1 year | $0–5,000 |
*30 grams = 1.058 ounces.
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
It is unlawful for a person to possesses, with the intent to use, drug paraphernalia that is used for packaging, manufacturing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the human body a controlled substance in violation of the Controlled Substances, Drugs, Device and Cosmetic Act of 1972.
Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act
Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act went into effect on May 17, 2016. However, marijuana in any form remains a prohibited controlled substance under federal law, and therefore the possession, cultivation, and use by individuals remain illegal under federal law. The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act conflicts with federal criminal laws governing controlled substances, as well as federal laws requiring institutions receiving federal funds, by grant or contract, to maintain drug-free campuses and workplaces. Penn State receives federal funding that would be in jeopardy if those federal laws did not take precedence over state law. Therefore, the use and/or possession by individuals of marijuana in any form and for any purpose continues to violate applicable University policies, and any student or employee who violates such policies will be subject to disciplinary sanctions.
Responsible Action Protocol
If your student suspects that someone may need medical assistance, they should call 911.
Penn State has established a Responsible Action Protocol campaign. A student who acts reasonably by notifying the appropriate authorities (e.g., calling 911 or contacting the police) AND meets one or more of the following criteria typically will not face University conduct action for use or possession of alcohol or drugs. However, the student will be required to attend an approved alcohol or drug education program such as BASICS or the Marijuana intervention Program (MIP); the fee will be waived.
The criteria which invoke the protocol are:
- Students seeking medical assistance for themselves when experiencing an alcohol or drug overdose or related problems
- A student seeking medical assistance for a peer suffering from an alcohol or drug overdose or related problems and remains with the peer until appropriate authorities arrive
- A student suffering from an alcohol or drug overdose or related problems, for whom another student seeks assistance. The other person who sought assistance, believes they are the first caller, provides their name, and remains with their peer until appropriate authorities arrive, will also not be subject to disciplinary action for alcohol violations.
When the student’s behavior involves other Code of Conduct violations, (e.g., vandalism, assault, furnishing to minors) the additional behavior may be subject to conduct action. If a student exhibits a pattern of problematic behavior with alcohol or drugs, that student may be subject to formal conduct action.