Alcohol Risks

Legal Risks

  • Getting an alcohol citation for Underage Possession, Open Container, Excessive Noise, Littering, or Public Urination
  • Being arrested for alcohol involved offenses like Disorderly Conduct, Physical Assault, Sexual Assault, DWI, and Destruction of Property.

Social Risks

  • Public embarrassment and humiliation
  • Sexual indiscretions
  • Social Suicide - hurting friends and loved ones when intoxicated
  • Loss of personal morals by making poor choices

Academic Risks

  • If you violate state or local laws/ordinances, FSU will hold you accountable under the Code of Student Conduct. This is a separate proceeding from a student's responsibility to the state court system.
  • Each academic year, approximately 25 FSU students are judicially suspended from the university for conduct related matters.
  • 22% of FSU students have indicated that they have missed a class because of high-risk drinking
  • 17% of FSU students have reported doing poorly on an exam because of high-risk drinking
  • Binge drinking may affect your ability to problem-solve, concentrate, and harm memory function
  • According to a 2006 college alcohol study from the Harvard School of Public Health, approximately 25% to 30% of student attrition (students leaving college) may be attributed to alcohol consumption
  • Be careful with the off-campus groups that you encounter. FSU has several unrecognized groups in the community that masquerade as fraternities or sororities. Even though they have adopted fake Greek letters, they are not the real deal and are generally more focused on high-risk drinking than academic achievement. Students who become involved with unrecognized groups are much less likely to graduate and are much more likely to be placed on academic probation or be dismissed from the university.

Career Risks

  • Most students report that they attend college to prepare for a career. Unfortunately, getting an alcohol citation or being arrested for a related violation can be extremely harmful to your career aspirations.
  • All legal proceedings are readily available for human resources managers or companies to research your record. With a few clicks and a few key-strokes on the computer, your perspective employer can conduct a background check on you; including citations for misdemeanors and ordinance violations.
  • Many companies and many career paths have very strict rules about hiring (or not hiring) individuals with criminal records.
  • Many college students think they are invincible when it comes to partying. Unfortunately, what you do today can have grave consequences for your future.

Health Risks

  • Alcohol Poisoning is one of the most significant acute health risks that students may face when consuming alcohol. Alcohol Poisoning occurs when people ingest too much alcohol too quickly. The effects of alcohol become toxic to our body’s central nervous system, slowing down our breathing and heart rate, eventually leading to organ failure. Subsequently, many people “pass out” and appear to be sleeping, when in reality, they may be in serious need of medical treatment. Because our central nervous system is affected, our gag-reflex does not properly function. Therefore, many people in this stage asphyxiate by inhaling vomit into their lungs and die. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism indicates that an average of 1,400 people die every year as a result of alcohol poisoning. It happens to students on campuses all across the nation. Students can look out for one another by understanding and avoiding the high-risk consumption factors associated with alcohol poisoning. Never leave your friends or loved-ones alone if they are intoxicated and may pass-out. You can assist them by having them sleep on their sides, while monitoring them for other serious symptoms like: incoherent speech, inability to stand, confused affect, unconsciousness, vomiting, irregular breathing, or hypothermia.
  • Alcohol consumption may have serious health ramifications if high-risk drinking practices persist. Alcohol can be attributed to many forms of cancer, heart disease, and internal organ functions. Chronic, heavy alcohol consumption is particularly difficult on the liver as it must metabolize (breakdown) the toxins in alcohol when it enters the system. Remember, we only get one body; therefore, avoiding high-risk drinking practices can preserve our health as we look forward to the future.
  • High-risk drinking is often associated with high-risk sex. This can have a significant impact on our overall health because poor decisions and indiscretions are often founded in impaired judgment and lowered inhibitions from alcohol consumption. Simply put, we wouldn’t make many of the same decisions sober that we make under the influence of alcohol; therefore, heavy consumption exponentially increases the risk of poor choices. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) and unplanned pregnancies from unprotected sex can have profound consequences to our physical and emotional health. Damage to our personal integrity due to participating in embarrassing situations can also send our self-image into a tailspin and significantly impact our mental health.
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