According to a survey by the Harvard School of Public Health, 44 percent of college students admitted to binge drinking within the previous two weeks, the same percentage found in a 1993 study. The study defined binge drinking as consuming four or more drinks in a row for women, or five or more for men.

At the same time, the study found that 65 percent more college students said they were living in substance-free residence halls than in 1993, and more and were being exposed to alcohol-awareness education, as well.

Also, fewer students said they were members of fraternities and sororities, where binge-drinking rates traditionally have been the highest. Furthermore, the number of students who said they didn't drink at all increased 16.4 percent from the 1993 study.

"That's a staggering number," said Henry Wechsler, director of College Alcohol Studies at Harvard and lead investigator of the study, referring to the 44-percent binge-drinking rate. "Before, we didn't see positive trends at the same time as the continuation of the binge rate. We didn't see this kind of illogical presence of trends that should lead to lower rates and a continuing high rate. This, to us, indicates very strong forces are continuing to support this level of drinking on campus. Those factors need to be addressed in policies that colleges take."

The study's findings were based on a poll of 10,000 students at 119 four-year colleges.

For more information, please see the articles below:

Trends in College Binge Drinking During a Period of Increased Prevention Efforts: Findings From 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993-2001
www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/trends

Underage College Students' Drinking Behavior, Access to Alcohol, and the Influence of Deterrence Policies: Findings From the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study
www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/underminimum

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