Enjoy spring break, alcohol responsibly Published April 8, 2009 By Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program office 1st Special Operation Medical Operations Squadron HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Spring break offers young adults a great opportunity to enjoy time off from school or work, spend time with family and friends and relax. In contrast, spring break is also well known for young adults traveling to party spots and engaging in risky behaviors. Yet, just because spring break is associated with risky behaviors, it doesn't mean that spring breakers have to place themselves at risk to have fun. Spring break activities can be enjoyed while simultaneously being safe. Making responsible choices can significantly minimize chances of ending up in jail, the hospital or worse. Consider the following statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: - People ages 12 to 20-years-old, drink almost 20 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States - More than 90 percent of this alcohol is consumed in the form of binge drinking. The National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person's blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent or above. This typically happens when men consume five or more drinks and women consume four or more drinks in about two hours. - The proportion of current drinkers who binge drink is highest in the 18 to 20- year-old group - The rate of binge drinking among men is three times the rate of women. - Everyday, 36 people in the United States die and approximately 700 more are injured, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired drivers. - From 2006-2007, more than 26,000 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crashes, representing 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths. - Male drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes are almost twice as likely as female drivers to be intoxicated with a BAC of 0.08 percent or greater. - Among motorcycle drivers killed in fatal crashes, 30 percent have BACs of 0.08 percent or greater. Consider the following tips to help make this spring break a fun and safe vacation: - Do not drink any alcohol if you are under 21-years-old. - If you are 21 or older, strongly consider abstaining from any alcohol consumption. - Don't drink more than one alcoholic drink per hour. Don't binge drink. - Don't participate in alcohol drinking games. - Alternate alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic drinks. - Eat a real meal before drinking and snack throughout the time of drinking. - Know the signs of alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels that suppress the central nervous system and can cause loss of consciousness, low blood pressure, low body temperature, respiratory depression, coma and even death. - Watch drinks being made. - Open containers yourself. Don't share drinks. Don't drink from punch bowls or other common open containers. They may be drugged. - Don't accept drinks from other people and keep drinks in hand. If drinks are out of sight for even a moment, throw it out. - Keep a hand over cups, or thumb over the top of a bottle. - Watch out for date rape drugs like gamma hydroxy butyrate, rohypnol and ketamine. These drugs could be placed in your drink while you are distracted to facilitate sexual assault or other crimes. - Use the buddy system. - Make it a rule to never leave without anyone you came with. - Don't drink and drive. - Always ensure there is a designated driver. If the designated driver takes a drink, they are no longer the designated driver. Call a taxi or a sober family member or friend. - If you're a Department of Defense identification card holder, call Hurlburt Field Airmen Against Drunk Driving at 884-8844 for a free, confidential ride home. - If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, or ride with an impaired driver, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to safely get to where they are going. To assist Hurlburt Field commanders, first sergeants, leaders and supervisors in promoting responsible alcohol use, the Hurlburt Field Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Program provides a wide range of prevention, education, outreach, evaluation and treatment services to active-duty members. The ADAPT Program office is located on the 2nd floor of the Hurlburt Field Clinic, and its staff can be reached at 881-4237. Family members, of active-duty members should contact TriCare-partner Value Options at (800) 700-8646 for information and/or assistance in obtaining substance abuse evaluation and treatment services.