I. Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study
A. Research design: N = 14,000 college students at 40 colleges and universities... nationally representative random sample of college students
Surveys at the same schools in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2001
B. Collaborated with researchers at universities around the country, producing more than 70 peer reviewed articles
C. Policy implications:
The U.S. Surgeon General's establishment of a national goal to reduce college binge drinking by 50% as part of the "Goals for the Nation" for the year 2010;
The National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) establishment of a "college drinking" task force to make recommendations about the problem;
NIAAA adoption of the 5/4 definition of binge drinking: where "A binge' is a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 gram percent or above. For the typical adult, this pattern corresponds to consuming 5 or more drinks (male), or 4 or more drinks (female), in about 2 hours. Binge drinking is clearly dangerous for the drinker and for society." "Dr. Ting-Kai Li, Director of NIAAA, indicated that, "excessive alcohol use by college-aged individuals in the U.S. is a significant source of harm."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) annual measures of binge drinking in its state-by-state reports. The annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey coordinated by the CDC has recommended changing its measure of binge drinking from a 5-drink standard to a gender-specific measure of 5 drinks for males and 4 drinks for females;
The U.S. Senate (sponsored by Sen. Joseph Biden, D-DE) and the House of Representatives (sponsored by Rep. Joseph Kennedy, D-MA) passage of resolutions calling on college presidents to address college binge drinking;
Sen. Michael DeWine (R-OH) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)'s introduction of legislation in February 2003 to combat the issue of underage drinking and drug use on college campuses and universities by encouraging states to work together in creating statewide coalitions among colleges and surrounding communities.
A U.S. House of Representative resolution (sponsored by Rep. Thomas Osborne, R-NE) to discourage alcohol use by underage students and other young fans by ending alcohol advertising during radio and television broadcasts of collegiate sporting events.
C. At UMD
1. UROP projects by several students working with Dr. Laundergan
2. Sociology 1400 course, aimed at freshmen in the University of Minnesota system