Campuses Campaign Against Binge Drinking

[사토시]

01-29-2008  The Korea Times

Campuses Campaign Against Binge Drinking

By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

Campus administrators are waging an all-out campaign against binge drinking to protect school facilities from drunkards.

According to Prof. Kim Kwang-kee of Inje University, about 59 out of 77 universities reported 234 cases of violence, 68 incidents of property damage and 35 traffic accidents due to the drunken behavior of students between 2002 and 2005. Kim said the actual figure was much higher due to underreporting by students and schools.

At the start of every school year, there are reports of freshmen suffering serious bodily harm and even dying as a result being forced to binge drink by senior classmen under the excuses of ``romance on the campus,’’ or ``campus tradition.’’

Those surviving binge drinking in their youth can see their drinking habits affected for the rest of their lives.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, about 26.1 percent of males drink more than a bottle of soju at a time, which is regarded as high-risk drinking. The World Health Organization warns that drinking alcohol excessively reduces a person’s lifespan by 9.2 percent of the expected average.

The ministry said that a typical Korean over 15 years old drinks up to about 9.2 liters of alcohol a year, the 19th most among the 30 members states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Research in 2004 said a typical adult over 20 years old drinks 72 bottles of soju and 108 bottles of beer a year.

These excessive drinking habits lead to large socioeconomic costs, which added up to 15 trillion won in 2006, mostly through the treatment of psychiatric disorders, cancer or digestive problems.

In 2003, excessive alcohol consumption was the cause of the drunk driving that killed 1,113 people in 31,227 car accidents.

Professor Kim noted, however, that binge drinking is attributable to a society that provides easy access to alcohol. In 2005, a lawmaker proposed a bill to halt alcohol advertisements on television and radio, but manufacturers and others opposed it as a ``restriction on the rights to information.’’

Kim said society is encouraging people to drink ― about 43.8 percent of university events were sponsored by alcohol distributors and 41 percent of school publications had advertisements in them promoting alcohol consumption.

``We need to seeks ways to provide people with other forms of entertainment other than drinking,’’ he said.

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr

[Helen♡]

hum.. I know alcohol is harm for us though...I like binge and can't quit drinking alcohol ^^;;;

[사토시]

과음하면 병 나요...^^;;;

[혜영]

drinking alcohol excessively reduces a person’s lifespan by 9.2 percent of the expected average... a lawmaker proposed a bill to halt alcohol advertisements on television and radio..