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Alcohol and Alcohol Poisoning

At Pepperdine, we approach alcohol and other drug abuse with a combination of compassion, encouragement, directness, and concerned firmness. An aspect of this caring approach is the consistent enforcement of the regulations regarding alcohol and other drugs contained within our policy. Pepperdine seeks to prevent alcohol and other drug-related problems by educating students about the personal and social consequences associated with the abuse of drugs. Educational programs and services are offered on an ongoing basis and are coordinated through the Counseling Center.

 

Good Samaritan Policy

As a proactive bystander, peer, and friend, it is imperative that you understand our Good Samaritan Policy as it relates to alcohol and substance use. The University recognizes that there may be alcohol or other drug-related medical or safety emergencies in which the potential for disciplinary action could act as a deterrent to students who want to seek assistance for themselves or others. The Good Samaritan Policy is designed to enable dangerously intoxicated or impaired students, or their guests, to receive the professional medical treatment they need. When a student aids an intoxicated or impaired individual by contacting a professional for assistance, neither the intoxicated individual nor the individual reporting the emergency will be subject to disciplinary action. Please see the full policy under the "Disciplinary Procedures" section of Student Handbook.

 

Understanding the Effects of Alcohol

Know Your Numbers!

A standard drink equals one 12-ounce beer, one 6-ounce malt beer/liquor, one 4- to 5-ounce glass of table wine, or 1/2-ounce of 100 proof alcohol.

View Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Charts

Considerations

  • A person drinking too much can have second hand effects for others:
    • Study/sleep time disrupted by other students' alcohol abuse
    • Violence from alcohol related physical and sexual assaults
    • Campus environment negatively affected by vandalism
    • Insults, arguments, and threats instigated by intoxicated students
  • BAC is affected by the pace of drinking, quantity consumed, food in stomach, altitude, fatigue, gender, medications, mood and body mass
  • Binge drinking is particularly unsafe. The normal "buzz" is not felt – it goes straight to extreme symptoms

Considerations for Women

  • Women have different health concerns around the consumption of alcohol than do men. Women should drink less than men (given the same weight) due to a number of factors including:
    • Different rates of metabolism
    • Lower levels of the enzyme dehydrogenase that breaks down alcohol in the stomach
    • Higher percentage of body fat and less body water
    • Alcohol absorption rates are affected by changes in estrogen levels related to the menstrual cycle
    • Health problems related to drinking develop more quickly for women than men including alcoholism
    • Women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage per day increase their risk for breast cancer

Did you know...?

  • Alcohol leaves the system at .015 percent per hour. If your BAC is .20 at 1:00 a.m. it will not return to normal until 3:00 p.m. the next day. Think of how that might affect you for classes, test, or a performance/game.
  • The normal reaction to alcohol is biphasic. The first phase occurs while BAC is low – mild "buzz". The "point of diminishing returns" (where the effects become negative) happens at or above .06 for non-tolerant drinkers – including fatigue and physical impairment. More is NOT better!
  • Every person's predisposition to alcoholism/addiction is different.

 

Warning Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

  • Person is unconscious or semiconscious
  • Person has cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin
  • Slow breathing (less than 8 breaths per minute)
  • Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
  • No response to pinching the skin
  • Vomiting while passed out, and not waking after vomiting seizures

 

Step Up! Be Preventative and Proactive

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES LET INDIVIDUALS DRIVE WHILE IMPAIRED

  1. Plan ahead – set a limit BEFORE going out.
  2. Encourage them to stop drinking (or take their drink away) when they've had enough.
  3. Stay with them to ensure they will be all right.
  4. Remove them from the situation.
  5. Get them to consume non-alcoholic beverages first.
  6. Get them to alternate between non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks.
  7. Get them to sip rather than gulp if they are drinking alcohol.
  8. Have them consume food while drinking alcoholic beverages.
  9. Tell them not to drink while taking medication.
  10. Tell them to avoid taking aspirin if they have been drinking. (DO NOT take Tylenol or other Acetaminophen medication for a hangover; liver damage may result!)
  11. Never discuss problematic behavior when the person is under the influence.

 

Step UP! against Alcohol Poisoning

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES LET INDIVIDUALS DRIVE WHILE IMPAIRED

  1. Check in with anyone who is showing signs of possible alcohol poisoning.
  2. If you notice someone passed out, vomiting, incoherent, unable to answer simple questions, call 9-1-1 immediately.
  3. If they are passed out roll them to their side.
  4. Eliminate distractions – loud music, etc.
  5. Be clear and direct with all of your requests.
  6. Try to find someone who is sober and can answer questions about the individual.
  7. Do not leave the person alone.
  8. If vomiting occurs, clear airway by sweeping out vomited material from mouth.
  9. Do not give food or force fluids.
  10. If affected person is able to verbally respond, determine if the victim has allergies, is on medications, or has any health conditions
  11. Monitor breathing and heart rate. If breathing and heart rate cease, begin CPR.
  12. Be ready to tell the EMT what and how much the person has had to drink, presence of other drugs, how long it has been since symptoms occurred, and other relevant information.

 

Resources: Understanding Alcohol

Handouts

 

Local

 

National

 

Resources: Alcohol Poisoning

Handouts

Local

  • 9-1-1
  • Pepperdine Dept of Public Safety - DPS
    • Emergency (310) 456 4441
    • Non-emergency (310) 456 4442
  • Report via LiveSafe App
    • Downloadable for Android and iPhone - App Store
    • Anonymous option available

 

The University of Arizona C.A.T.S. Life Skills Program, along with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and national leading experts, has developed Step UP! Be a Leader, Make a Difference.