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Foundation inspires alcohol awareness at Appalachian |
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Tuesday, 14 November 2006 |
by LINDSAY TIGAR
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
“Part of the college experience is leaving home and feeling a sense of freedom,” Dale E. Kirkley, a Student Wellness Center counselor, said. “College students are becoming adults and in our society being an adult is consuming alcohol.”
 Active Image | Bryan Tarnowski | Photo Illustration
Alcohol poisoning is a serious issue faces college students. The Student Wellness Center brought “The Sam Spady Story” to Appalachian State University to educate students on the risk of alcohol poisoning.
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The Student Wellness Center is a place for students to receive
information and help on specific subjects like stress management,
alcohol and drug awareness and nutrition.
For example, the center brought “The Sam Spady Story” in order to
“prevent tragic results from alcohol abuse” at Appalachian State,
Kirkley said.
Spady was a Colorado State University sophomore who died from alcohol poisoning Sept. 4, 2004.
Her blood alcohol level at the time of her death was .43.
Her parents founded the Sam Spady Foundation in her honor with the
hopes of educating students about the dangers of alcohol poisoning.
A video presentation of “The Sam Spady Story” will be available to classrooms soon.
The latest study of alcohol consumption on Appalachian’s campus was conducted in spring 2004.
The Core Alcohol and Drug Survey concluded that 56 percent of students
consume anywhere from 0-4 drinks when they party or socialize.
The average student consumes 6.9 alcoholic drinks per week.
“Sure we do have high-risk drinkers on campus,” Kirkley said. “But they
are not the majority. I don’t believe we have an alcohol abuse problem
anymore than any other universities.”
Alcohol poisoning is the effect of binge or high-risk drinking.
The Alcohol Drug Council in Watauga County distributes a flyer with
facts on binge drinking, which is defined as consuming five or more
drinks in a row at one sitting for men or four or more in a row for
women.
However, these numbers vary depending on the weight of the individual
and the amount of time it took to consume the alcohol, Kirkley said.
According to www.samspadyfoundation.org, in America there are 1,400
campus deaths every year due to alcohol poisoning. Most deaths are due
to being unaware of the signs of alcohol poisoning or how to react.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include an individual being “unconscious
or semiconscious, breathing less than ten times per minute or irregular
breathing, having cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin, can’t be awakened
by pinching, prodding, or shouting, or vomiting without waking up.”
A person should call 911 if a person is experiencing any of these symptoms.
“A way to help prevent alcohol poisoning or alcohol abuse is to change
the college campus culture,” Kirkley said. “Providing more
opportunities for engaged learning and environmental and culture
change.”
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