“The best thing to do is to educate yourself,” is one of the first things Diane Moore, a counselor from CCAS, said at the alcohol forum on Oct. 5.
Ironically enough, this forum took place on Thirsty Thursday, the day when some college students start their weekend drinking.
The purpose of the forum was to help students educate themselves about alcohol, not only by answering questions from students but also by providing information regarding drinking and its effects.
Moore began the forum by discussing how ignorance of the effect of alcohol on one’s body is one of the main reasons there are so many issues with alcohol consumption.
She said that this year, Eastern has had more problems than in the past with students and alcohol, both on and off campus.
One fact she emphasized was that one’s body can only metabolize one drink per hour, and that many exceed this limit in minutes.
She also said alcohol poisoning is common and that it occurs when a person drinks alcohol faster than the body can metabolize it. Signs include cold, clammy skin, shallow breathing and unconsciousness.
Moore said that a common misconception is that vomiting is helpful to an intoxicated person. Instead, it can cause someone to choke, and if he or she is unconscious, choking could lead to death.
She said another problem with alcohol is binge drinking, a common activity among students.
Immediate effects include a decrease in inhibitions and a slowing of motor skills and brain function. Long-term effects include serious damage to the liver.
According to Moore, those under 18 caught drinking will have their parents notified, and those who are between the ages of 18 and 21 could be arrested.
“There is a reason that the drinking age is 21; most people under 21 don’t have the maturity to drink responsibly and don’t have enough knowledge to drink responsibly,” Moore said.
Mikaela Brown 
Sophia Hunter 
Jayme Fisher