Alcohol article did not explain dangers of binge drinking

I am shocked to see an article published in our college newspaper promoting binge drinking. Yes, one could argue that it was only the facts stated and no fingers were pointed, except at wealthy students, Greeks, males, heterosexuals, etc. But in a newspaper that students predominately look to for advice and trends, this article did not fully encompass the topic of binge drinking.

As a senior, I have seen it all, and I have experienced it all. But, I have been informed of it all. Many freshman students entering the family of FGCU have never experienced alcohol intake, nor have they ever been taught the rights and wrongs of it. As a suggestion, it would have been smart to include in your article, even just a little, information on the happiness that comes without binge drinking.

You might have included some statistics like these from the Alcoholism Guide website:

“Alcohol is the third-leading cause of death in the 15-24 age group,” “College students who binge drink often are less likely to have good grades and attend classes/lectures regularly” or “Almost 1700 students die annually from binge drinking.”

Students would have been interested to hear that binge drinking is a door-opener to many drug uses. The recent tragedy in Coastal Village left one of our very own FGCU peers pronounced dead in a drug-related incident. The student jumped to his own death.

In case anyone has forgotten, alcohol is a depressant. It, in no way, causes more happiness than how one would feel without alcohol. One’s “social status” may grow, but most of us are mature enough to know that if you have to drink to gain friendships, they aren’t friendships one should admire.