"Hammered," the newest organizational front spreading across college campuses, is gathering people to send the message that sobriety can be fun.
Their message, a rarity heard through the stereotypes of college keg parties and beer pong tournaments, is a refreshing reminder to our community that just because we are in college doesn't mean we all drink.
Possibly the most intriguing part of the group's purpose is, as founder Ken Procaccianti puts, "Hammered is not anti anything. We don't discriminate against those who do drink - it's their choice."
Upon reviewing some of the statistics available about college age drinkers, the need to party harder with lighter or no inebriation seems to be a more appealing and safer choice.
The following are facts pulled from "Magnitude of Alcohol-Related Mortality and Morbidity Among U.S. College Students Ages 18-24: Changes from 1998 to 2001" featured in the 2005 Annual Review of Public Health.
"1,700 college students die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes."
"599,000 students are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol and more than 696,000 students are assaulted by another student who has been drinking."
"More than 97,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape."
"400,000 students had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex."
There is the argument that these stats don't incorporate individuals and can't predict how someone will act. It is a broad overview and isn't applicable to any one person.
But the facts exist for a reason. All of those events happened to someone, which mean they can just as easily happen to us.
As Veronica says so politely in "Heathers," throwing your life away to become a statistic in the United States is about the least private thing anyone can do.
Not everyone who drinks, excessively or in moderation, will experience these consequences. Many students can be responsible adults who happen to enjoy alcohol. Hammered is only geared towards showing people a good time without drinking.
But for every responsible person, how many irresponsible people exist? How many of us do endanger ourselves because the prospect of partying far outweighs our personal safety?
Crime briefs are riddled with charges of underage consumption, assault and public intoxication. Nearly every week, there is an alcohol-related report filed by campus police.
But again, not every college student is irresponsible and unable to handle the privledge of drinking.
Alcohol isn't a bad thing. It's the choice on how to use the substance that determines the result - a good time or a regrettable mistake.
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