There are approximately 79,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use each year in the United States. This makes excessive alcohol use the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death for the nation. In the single year 2005, there were more than 1.6 million hospitalizations and more than 4 million emergency room visits for alcohol-related conditions. 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries. About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall. In the year 2004 there were 16,919 alcohol-related traffic crash fatalities, overall there were 42,836 traffic crash fatalities resulting in 39.5% of all traffic crash fatalities having to relate with driving under the influence of alcohol. About 3,360,000 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 are caught driving under the influence as well. Joseph Califan Jr., president of the Nation Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University says "Underage drinking has reached epidemic proportions in America," as well he stated "Alcohol is the fatal attraction for many teens, a major factor in the three leading causes of teen death -- accidents, homicide and suicide.” Our society tends to accept drinking and look upon it as a rite of passage to manhood, or even womanhood. Something has to be done to help these young college students who feel invincible, and are peer pressured to making irrational decisions. Binge drinking is most common between ages of 18 and 22. Reports also say that 42% of college students binge drink.
http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/drugsalcohol?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=college%20drinking%20statistics&utm_campaign=2011%20Top%20Performers%20Q1&utm_content=Paid&gclid=COCHhNCowa8CFWvktgodMBJgyA
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