Binge Drinking Fails to Decrease in 15 Years
Binge drinking was once seen as a periodic activity taking place at college parties or during sporting events. It was not generally engaged in by alcoholics, but by those seeking a quick buzz and somewhat cheap entertainment. Binge drinking was also assumed to be of low risk, yet it is now turning into a public health problem.
According to a recent Web MD report, binge drinking is not recognized as a problem and 80 percent of binge drinkers are not alcoholics. Most casual observers do not view binge drinking as a problem as it is defined as four drinks in two hours for women and five drinks in the same timeframe for men.
The problem is that most binge drinkers do not stop at four or five drinks. The average binge drinker will consume eight drinks in just two hours and younger drinkers tend to consume even more.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that binge drinkers account for more than half of the 79,000 annual deaths related to alcohol that occur in the U.S. The CDC also points to this activity as claiming two-thirds of the 2.3 million years of life lost between 2001-2005. Of the alcohol deaths that occur every year, six percent – or 4,675 – are individuals under the age of 21.
Of the 41.8 percent of high school students who report that they drink, 60.9 percent are binge drinkers. Overall, the CDC estimates that one in four high school students binge drink.
Nationally, binge drinking is not recognized as a problem, however, and therefore it has not decreased in 15 years. The short term risks associated with the activity include car crashes, violence, HIV risk, STDs and unintended pregnancy. Long-term risks can include cancer, stroke, heart disease, liver disease and other chronic problems.
