That's Fit

Frat parties, bar nights, drinking games -- college is filled with opportunities to throw back a few drinks with friends. But what seems like harmless, youthful fun can quickly turn dangerous when binge drinking is involved. It's an activity that's problematic at any age, but when binge drinking is mixed with the new found freedom and responsibility of college, the combination can be deadly. A new study has found, however, that when high-risk students are placed in an intervention program, their risk of negative consequences from binge drinking were reduced.

Adults age 18 to 29 drink more than any other age group, and college students drink more than their non-student counterparts, making them prime for this type of intervention. When over 500 students from nearly 100 residence halls across Sweden were randomly assigned to intervention, the students who received the cognitive skills-type training reduced their alcohol consumption more than those in other groups.

Hopefully campus leaders are listening. Though partying may be a rite of passage in college, it can be taken too far very quickly. Reducing binge drinking would prevent accidents, alcohol poisoning, not to mention time lost from work, class, and other social and personal problems problematic drinking can cause. What's your take on this issue?