The Homewood Campus has seen the number of alcohol-related hospitalizations double this year.
The Hopkins Emergency Response Unit (HERU) responded to 26 emergency calls in the beginning of the 2002-2003 year. HERU could not disclose the proportion of alcohol related incidences, but in the same period this year, the number of calls for medical assistance has doubled to over 50, and the number of alcoholic incidents has remained proportionally the same, according to Trevor Adler, Operations Lieutenant of HERU.
"The number of alcohol related cases has gone up, especially between midnight on Thursday and 3 a.m. Sunday," he said.
Hopkins students are no exception to the growing trend of college binge drinking. The Bacchus and Gamma Peer Education Network, a national college group dedicated to responsible drinking, reported that college students between 18-22 years of age are more likely to drink than their non-college peers.
This year, binge drinking at Hopkins is setting a record pace in the number of alcohol poisonings brought to HERU's attention.
In 2001, 42.5 percent of college students reported "binge-drinking," and 18.2 percent reported being "heavy drinkers." Binge drinking is over four drinks in a row for women and five drinks in a row for men.
Last year on campus there were 273 disciplinary referrals made involving alcohol. There were also four arrests. That number of referrals has doubled since 2000, according to the security Web site.
These statistics may not reflect actual increases in the number of students drinking on campus but rather that more students are being caught in violation of the University's substances code.
Adler emphasized the need to call 911 or Campus Security immediately if you think someone has had too much to drink, and said many people are afraid to call for help because they do not wish to betray their friend by getting them in trouble.
"A person's condition can deteriorate very quickly. "They can be completely coherent and responsive one minute and become unresponsive and unconscious the next minute," Adler said
There are four major signs to look for to determine whether someone is in need of emergency medical treatment. These vary from person to person so there may be one or more signs present.
The areas to check are the level of consciousness, breathing, pulse, and skin. If someone is hard to rouse, has fainted, "blacked out", or is unconscious they need help; their breathing is less than 10 times a minute; their pulse is less than 40 beats per minute this is another indication of poisoning; or if their skin is cold, clammy, or blue.
If any of these signs are present you need to loosen the clothing around their neck and keep the person on their side with their knees bent to prevent suffocation on vomit or spit.
Adler further cautions, "The most important thing is to establish and maintain an airway." He also suggests asking three questions that cannot be answered with yes or no to determine the level of consciousness in a potential alcohol-poisoning victim.
"You need to know whether someone is just talking nonsense or if they are really in trouble." Do not leave a victim alone due to the risk of choking, and do not place them in a cold shower as this may cause them to go into shock.
There are many services available to those who feel they may have a problem or know of someone who might.
The Counseling Center, located on the third floor of Garland Hall, treats students with both mandatory referrals and self-referrals.
Dr. Shelly Von Hagen-Jamar is in charge of substance abuse related treatment. Von Hagen-Jamar explains, "Getting help doesn't mean getting caught." All treatment within the counseling center is completely confidential.
Students concerned about a friend can also schedule a consultation with Von Hagen-Jamar to discuss anything that can be done to help.
An addition this year to the Counseling Center Web Site, www.jhu.edu/counselingcenter, is an online alcohol drinking self-evaluation.
By clicking on the "e-Chug" (CHeck Up to Go) link on the Counseling Center site, a student can take a 7-10 minute test that produces a printout discussing how much they are drinking, how many calories this is, how risky it is, and how much money it is costing.
Von Hagen-Jamar explains, "This is a valuable way for students to look at how their drinking compares to other students on the Hopkins campus."
More information can also be found at the Student Health and Wellness Center in AMR II, or the Education for Health and Wellness Center in Krieger 105. Getting help for a friend who is a victim of alcohol poisoning may seem like a difficult decision to make, but at least your friend will be around to thank you.
