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Binge Drinking“Alcohol abuse means having unhealthy or dangerous drinking habits,such as drinking every day or drinking too much at a time. Alcohol abusecan harm your relationships, cause you to miss work and lead to legalproblems such as driving while drunk. When you abuse alcohol, youcontinue to drink even though you know your drinking is causing problems.“If you continue to abuse alcohol, it can lead to alcohol dependence.Alcohol dependence is also called alcoholism. You are physically ormentally addicted to alcohol. You have a strong need, or craving, to drink.You feel like you must drink just to get by.”Source: WebMDBinge drinking is a common pattern of alcoholabuse. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuseand Alcoholism defines binge drinking asa pattern of drinking that brings a person’s bloodalcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 percent or above.This typically happens when men consume five ormore drinks and when women consume four or moredrinks in about two hours.According to national surveys:• Although college students commonly binge drink, 70percent of binge drinking episodes involve adultsover age 25.• The prevalence of binge drinking among men is twotimes higher than among women.• Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to reportalcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.• About 90 percent of the alcohol consumed by youthunder the age of 21 in the United States is in theform of binge drinks.• About 75 percent of the alcohol consumed by adultsin the United States is in the form of binge drinks.Binge drinking is associated with manyhealth problems:• Unintentional injuries (car crashes, falls, burns,drowning)• Intentional injuries (firearm injuries, sexual assault,domestic violence)• Alcohol poisoning• Sexually transmitted diseases• Unintended pregnancy• Children born with fetal alcohol syndrome disorders• High blood pressure, stroke and othercardiovascular diseases• Liver disease• Neurological damage• Sexual dysfunction• Poor control of diabetesConsequences of binge drinkingThe Centers for Disease Control and Preventionreports that young people who drink alcohol are morelikely to experience the following:• School problems, such as higher absence and pooror failing gradesThink about itMany people dismiss underage drinkingas a normal “rite of passage” inadolescence. It is important to rememberthat although alcohol is legal for adults,it can be unsafe and unhealthy. InFlorida, it is illegal for those youngerthan 21. According to a report by theU.S. Department of Health and HumanServices, more young people in theUnited States drink alcohol than smoketobacco or marijuana. Alcohol use byyoung people is a factor in a host ofserious health, social and economicproblems. Underage alcohol use canhave immediate and tragic consequences,such as alcohol poisoning, injury anddeath, as well as long-range harmfulconsequences, such as increased riskfor physical and developmental damageand chronic alcohol addiction.10 tampabay.com/nie