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Alcohol

The topics of Alcohol and Drugs are taken very seriously by the ULM Police Department. We offer several programs to address these issues as well as others. We offer highly trained officers to speak to you and your group.

The ULM Police Department is proactive in its efforts to combat the illegal use of alcohol and drugs. Our strategy is a two pronged effort: Education and Enforcement. Students are held accountable for their actions through the ULM Judicial Systems as well as the Laws of Louisiana.

Alcohol Facts

Alcohol is the most widely used legal drug by teens.
Binge drinking is defined as drinking 5 or more drinks in one sitting for males and 4 or more drinks in one setting for females.
The average age to first try alcohol is 12.5 years old.
Beer is the first “beverage of choice” for underage drinkers.
Alcohol is a “gateway” drug which can lead to illicit drug use (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc.).
Young people who drink alcohol are EIGHT TIMES more likely to use illegal drugs.
About 10 million current drinkers are under 21.
Most teens don’t know that a person can die from an alcohol overdose.
If a person starts drinking before the age of 15, they are 40% more likely to develop alcoholism (NIAAA).

Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol can cause impaired visual ability, distorted vision, and impairs the eye’s ability to adjust to light.
Alcohol causes eyes to become bloodshot and the pupils dilated.
Alcohol impairs parts of the brain that control emotions and behavior.
Alcohol may make a person “feel good” for a while, but its effects on coordination, judgment, memory, and concentration override this feeling.
Alcohol induces extreme mood swings and emotional outbursts.
The motor skills needed for safe driving are slowed or stopped.
Long-term drinking may result in permanent brain damage, mental disorders, and addiction.
Alcohol lessens the ear’s ability to hear and distinguish sounds and tell which direction they are coming from.
Alcohol can cause slurred speech and reduces or dulls the senses of taste. This diminishes the desire to eat, and can lead to serious malnutrition and dehydration.
Alcohol irritates the lining of the esophagus, causing vomiting (sometimes bloody), severe internal bleeding, pain, and difficulty swallowing. It can also lead to throat and mouth cancer.
Alcohol weakens the heart muscle and the ability to pump blood. It increases blood pressure because it constricts the flow of blood into the veins and the heart has to work harder to get the blood through. This leads to enlargement of the heart, which causes an irregular heart beat and high blood pressure.
Alcohol reduces the lungs ability to fight infection which can lead to asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. High amounts of alcohol might slow down or stop the respiratory center functions in the brain which means you might stop breathing or even die.
Alcohol slows down or stops the liver’s ability to filter poisons and toxins out of the body. This causes the person to look “yellow” (jaundice) in their eyes and skin, and makes them bloated. It also slows or stops the body’s ability to stop bleeding. Alcohol causes the liver to “get fat” which leads to hepatitis and cirrhosis (the liver turns green and hard as a rock). This is not reversible and leads to death!
Alcohol irritates the lining of the stomach and intestines causing ulcers, bleeding, and cancer. It can also cause severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It slows or stops the stomach’s ability to digest food and process nutrients and vitamins.
Alcohol slows or stops sexual functioning, leading to impotence (inability to get an erection) which can be IRREVERSIBLE! In females, alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer, infertility (not being able to get pregnant), and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).