Facts About Alcohol Use Among College Students
The First Six Weeks
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.
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
- 42% report engaging in high risk drinking*
- 69% had to babysit a student who drank too much
- 12% have been a victim of an unwanted sexual experience
- 55% report blacking out at least once in the last year
- 26% report getting behind in school work due to alcohol use
*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 participating in 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 physically dangerous situations, including drinking and driving
- 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
How You Can Help
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.
Talking with Your Student About Alcohol
Research suggests that students who talk with their parents and families about alcohol avoidance strategies before they begin the first year of college are more likely to avoid alcohol, limit its use, and spend less time with heavy-drinking peers.
To prepare, 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, asking nonjudgmental and open-ended questions, to make it easy for your student to talk honestly with you and to express how they think and feel avbout college pressures and facing new situations. and show your student that you care about their success in college, both academically and socially.
Starting 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. Buying items for your student’s apartment or residence hall room can turn into talking about how to handle situations where alcohol use by other students might create a problem, such as interrupted study time, baby-sitting a drunk roommate, or unwanted sexual advances.
Here are some conversation starters:
- How will you decide whether to drink?
- How will you handle it if you feel pressure to drink? What will you say?
- If a roommate drinks excessively and the partying affects your sleep and studying, what will you do?
- 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 or do not drink
- Alternate activities
- Impact of drinking on health and academic success
- Penn State’s alcohol policy
- Pennsylvania’s alcohol laws (see below)
- Penn State’s Code of Conduct
- Penn State’s Responsible Action Protocol
Stay Connected After Your Student Leaves for College
- Stay involved with your student’s life at Penn State
- Call 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 new friends
- Encourage your student to get involved in activities and organizations on campus
Sources:
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.
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). 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.
Penn State Safe and Aware
Penn State Safe and Aware is an interactive, online learning module that incoming students are required to complete. The program provides information about alcohol, the alcohol laws in Pennsylvania, and Penn State’s alcohol and other drugs 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 Penn State Safe and Aware before attending New Student Orientation. Parents and families can 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 the Statues of Pennsylvania website of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Underage Drinking
The legal drinking age is 21. Underage drinking is illegal. 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 |
Under state law, police departments, including State College Police and University Police, must notify parents or guardians of all underage drinking violations. While each agency differs in how and when this notice is delivered, University Police send a physical letter to the student’s home address after issuing an underage drinking citation.
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.
The following penalties may apply if a person between the ages of 18 and 21 is convicted of a DUI with a blood alcohol content below .16%:
| 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 possess marijuana (cannabis), 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 possess, 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. The use, possession, and distribution by individuals of cannabis continues to violate applicable University policies. This includes medicinal marijuana (or medicinal cannabis) and synthetically-derived cannabis products such as Delta-8 and Delta-10. FDA-approved drugs (e.g., Marinol®, Syndros®, and Epidolex®) are permitted with a valid prescription. Any student or employee who violates such policies may be subject to disciplinary action.
No Smoking and Tobacco Policy
Penn State is committed to a healthful environment for all members of the community at all locations. Therefore, the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, all nicotine delivery devices, and other tobacco products are not permitted anywhere on any Penn State campus, with the exception of in personal vehicles.