Have a child in college? Chances are he or she has seen some drinking activity while there. Binge drinking and other types of entertainment seem to be pretty prevalent these days. Does it affect your child's education, though?

A recent showed that activities like binge drinking may cause bad decision making among those who partake in it, when compared to peers who don't engage in the activity.

In addition to that main finding, the study also said that the earlier a person begins to binge drink, the stronger the tie to poor decision-making skills. College (and those years) should be filled with the enjoyment of getting older and moving into an independent frame of mind. That is, unless you drink heavily.

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While college is about the educational and social experience, is it becoming part of a normal "party" experience as well? A preliminary study indeed shows that drinking heavily in college may make heart disease more likely.

No real head-turner here I think. The study centered on measurements of f C-reactive protein (CRP) in the participants' blood samples. The higher that figure is, the more likelihood of heart disease later in life. Conclusion: drinkers have higher CRP levels than non-drinkers (as far as this study).

But, it has to be said that many factors -- including alcohol, medications, physical activity, and body fat -- can affect CRP levels. Still, cutting down (or jettisoning completely) the use of alcohol while in college would be a good thing. The problem: that's a completely unrealistic expectation for those living away from home for the first time.

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As if college students do not have enough worries, it's estimated that about half of all U.S. college students binge drink or abuse drugs. This is not good (half, for crying out loud!), as academic performance and just about everything in daily life can be affected as a result.

The report released this morning also found that the use of drugs classified as prescription medication is up sharply, and notably painkillers. The data was collected after surveys, interviews and other research were summed up.

The report found that 49% of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 binge drink (consuming five or more drinks at a time), or abuse prescription drugs such as painkillers or illegal drugs. What is going on at college campuses these days? I guess education and planning for the future are not part of it for half of college students if these reports have accuracy.

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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?

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