Effects of Binge Drinking

The topic for my research paper is: are the effects of binge drinking on college students negative? In 2010, about 1,900 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 died due to alcohol related injuries (National Center on Abuse and Substance Abuse, 12). A report done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse says that 51 percent of all college students binge drink, which is about four million young Americans. Two million of these college students meet the medical criteria for substance abuse and dependency.   Binge drinking is defined by the National Institute of Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism as more than four drinks on a single occasion, generally over two hours or less, for males, and more than three drinks on a single occasion over the period of time for females. Binge drinking effects college students physically, emotionally, and psychologically (National Center on Abuse and Substance Abuse, 13).
The increase in binge drinking in the last ten years has more than doubled what it was in 1980’s ( Seaman, 37). Binge drinking has become more common than ever, but it seems as though college students are ignoring the dangerous consequences that excessive consumption of alcohol has.

I am a college student and I am constantly surrounded by alcohol and binge drinking. I have seen my peers behave ridiculously and engage in activities they would never even consider sober. Its estimated that over 400,000 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 have had unprotected sex while intoxicated
(National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 20). More than 150,000 of these college students were unaware if they had consented to having sex.  
Barrett Seaman, conducted studies at several universities, including ivy league schools. His studies showed that frequent binge drinkers were 42 percent more likely to have unprotected sex. His studies also showed that students who engaged in heavy consumption of alcohol were twice as likely to have multiple...