University Health and Counseling Services

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Wellness Information

UHCS Services

The AODA Counselor at UHCS is available to help! If you or someone you know is struggling with an alcohol or drug problem, call University Health & Counseling Services at 262-472-1305 to make a FREE & CONFIDENTIAL appointment.

Overview

Alcohol

How much is too much?

Ever think you drank way too much last night? You did if you experienced slurred speech, memory loss, vomited or passed out. How drunk you are really depends on your blood alcohol content (BAC). This refers to how much alcohol is in your blood. The higher your BAC, the more dangerous drinking becomes.

Approximate Effects of BAC Levels

BAC Level	Health Effects
0.02-0.04%	Relaxation, body warmth, lowered alertness, lowered inhibitions, some loss of judgment
0.06-0.08%	Impaired coordination, lack of balance, reduced physical reaction time, reduced reasoning & memory
0.10%	Deterioration of reaction time, control of body functions, slurred speech, slowed thinking
0.12-0.15%	Vomiting, major loss of balance, swaying, staggering, reduced ability to sense things, emotional instability
0.20-0.30%	Apathetic, lethargic, trouble standing, cannot see clearly, some black out or pass out, vomiting (risk of choking)
0.40%	Most pass out, some fall into coma. Fatal to ½ of people who reach this level
0.45%	Breathing stops…Death!
REACTIONS VARY BY INDIVIDUAL- USE CAUTION!

Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex. A fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop these basic bodily functions. If you notice that someone is exhibiting these signs, you need to call 911 or seek emergency help.

Slows breathing & pulse
Suppresses gag reflex
Lowered body temperature
Lowered blood sugar
Severe dehydration
Confusions or stupor
Cannot be roused
Vomiting
Seizures
Low body temperature
Blue or pale skin
Irregular breathing – fewer than 8 per minute

What is a “Standard Drink”?

Standard Drink

Size of Alcohol Container = Number of Standard Drinks
Regular Beer	Malt Liquor	Table Wine	80-proof spirits or "hard liquor"
12 fl oz = 1	12 fl oz = 1.5	5 fl oz = 1	1.5 fl oz glass/50ml bottle (a shot) = 1
16 fl oz = 1.3	16 fl oz = 2	750 ml (regular bottle) = 5	A mixed drink or cocktail = 1 or more
22 fl oz = 2	22 fl oz = 2.5	1.5 L = 10	200 ml (a "half pint") = 4.5
40 fl oz = 3	40 fl oz = 4.5		375 ml (a "pint" or "half bottle") = 8.5
Quarter Barrel = 82.7			750 ml (a "fifth) = 17
Keg/half barrel = 165.3			1.00L = 23
			1.75 L (handle) = 39

Drinking Misconceptions

Research proves that college students consistently overestimate the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption other students drink. This is true at UW-Whitewater; here are some statistics of where we stand from the 2015 UW-W National College Health Assessment:

23.6% of UWW students report they do not consume alcohol at all
71.1% consumed 4 or fewer drinks the last time they partied
45.7% perceived UWW students drank 10-29 days in the past 30 days
10.8% UWW reported drinking 10-29 days in the past 30 days

Marijuana

Marijuana (aka pot, ganga, weed, grass) is the most widely used illicit drug among American college students. It is the dry leaves, flowers, stems and seeds of the Cannabis plant. The main chemical in marijuana is THC.

Short-term health effects

Distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory.
Marijuana increases heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking

Long-term health effects

Addiction; that is, compulsive drug seeking and abuse despite the known harmful effects upon functioning in the context of family, school, work, and recreational activities.
Long-term marijuana abusers trying to quit report withdrawal symptoms including: irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which can make it difficult to remain abstinent.

Marijuana Facts

Marijuana is addictive.
Marijuana is the drug of choice among young people. Among young people who use drugs, approximately 60% use marijuana only.
Smoking one joint is equal to smoking five cigarettes.
Marijuana and alcohol are equally dangerous.
The average THC levels rose from less than 1% in the late 1970s to more than 18% in 2015 but can be found as high as 30%.
Marijuana hangovers exist and include problems with alertness, coordination, depth perception, and distorted sense of time.
THC can last in your body for up to four weeks.

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Disclaimer

All information on this website is written by UHCS professional staff unless otherwise noted. No data is collected on visitors to this site. Financial Support for this web site is provided by University Health & Counseling Service, Division of Student Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. This web site does not accept advertising.

This site is not meant to replace the advice of a health care or counseling professional. You should not rely on any information on these pages, or information generated for you by this site, to replace consultations with qualified professionals regarding your own specific situation. Some links take you to a source outside of UHCS. The owners of that site, not UHCS, are responsible for the content.