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Plan-It S.A.F.E.R.
Alcohol
Standard Drink Sizes, Blood Alcohol Content, Signs of Alcohol Poisoning, & Safer Drinking Tips
Drinking alcohol is often perceived as an expected part of the college experience. We want you to know this does not need to be the case. And, if you do choose to drink alcohol there are protective steps you can take to make sure your experience is healthier and safer.
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Check out the below information, tips, and resources to help you have a safer experiencing consuming alcohol.
1 in 4 UNC students choose not to drink alcohol
4 in 5 UNC students do not drive after drinking alcohol.
1 in 2 UNC students have not drank alcohol in the last 2 weeks
4 in 5 UNC students drank 4 or fewer drinks last time they drank socially
Safer Alcohol Tips
Set Limits & Stick to Them
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Take it slow, sip your drinks
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Measure your drinks
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Track your number of drinks
Be Prepared
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Designate a sober driver or use a rideshare
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Eat a meal before you go out
- If you might need a walk home, use a safety app
Be Proactive
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Stay in groups
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Watch your drink or use a cup cover (provided by OHP!)
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Drink a glass of water between alcoholic drinks
BAC Tracking App
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Available for iOS
Highlights: input food & water consumption, provides blood alcohol content estimate, free.
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Available for Android
Highlights: tracks consumption over time, provides blood alcohol content estimate, free.
Standard Drink Sizes
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Please note that alcohol by volume (ABV) may vary by type or brand. Further, mixed drinks may contain multiple shots of different liquor and therefore are difficult to determine the alcohol percentage of.
Why does size matter?
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Knowing how much a standard drink is for different types of alcohol can help you consume in a healthier and safer way.
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Studies show that adverse effects of alcohol are more likely to occur when one partakes in excess or binge drinking.
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Adverse effects can include short-term effects of differing severity, like feeling buzzed, drunk, blacking out, or alcohol poisoning and can also include long-term effects, like liver and heart disease and mental health issues.
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Using the lines on a standard Solo Cup, you can remember the standard pours for liquor, wine, and beer.
Excessive alcohol use: More than 1 drink per day for those assigned female at birth. More than 2 drinks per day for those assigned male at birth.
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Binge drinking: More than 4 drinks in one occasion for those assigned female at birth. More than 5 drinks in one occasion for those assigned male at birth.
Blood Alcohol Content
Blood Alcohol Content (aka BAC) is the concentration of alcohol in the blood.
For example, if you BAC is 0.1, there is one part alcohol for every 1000 parts blood.
Factors that Influence BAC
amount of alcohol consumed
duration/speed of consumption
food & medications consumed
body weight & sex assigned at birth
Levels of Intoxication
0
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Staying sober for any reason
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About 30% of adults choose to stay sober!
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Support your sober friends by supplying non-alcoholic drinks.
Non-Use
BAC = 0
1
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People relaxing and loosening up, shy people becoming more social
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This level is reached quickly!
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Start spacing drinks out, remembering water, and maybe eat something.
Feeling Buzzed
BAC=0.02-0.04
2
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Unplanned sexual behavior, losing stuff, mood swings, being overly familiar with strangers.
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You should NOT drive or allow anyone else to drive at this point (or walk alone!)
Questionable Decisions
BAC=0.05-0.07
3
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Everything starts to taste the same, less sensitivity to pain, problems focusing, bad depth perception.
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Basically, the senses are dulled
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You should slow down at this point.
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If you're helping a friend, they need simple instructions. Their judgment is impaired.
Talking Loud/ Getting Injured
BAC=0.07-0.10
4
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Bumping into things, spilling drinks, frequent bathroom breaks, aggressiveness, peeing themselves.
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This person should not be left alone and should absolutely not drink any more.
Staggering/ Slurring
BAC=0.11-.015
5
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People drift in and out of consciousness or go completely unconscious, irregular breathing.
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SEEK MEDICAL HELP.
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Until help arrives, monitor their breathing if the person is vomiting, roll them onto their side. Try to keep talking to them and monitor their consciousness.
Life Threatening/ Passing Out
BAC=0.20-0.40
Alcohol Poisoning
Signs & What You Can Do
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
low body temperature, blue or gray lips
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irregular breathing (<8 breaths per minute and 10 seconds between breaths)
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person cannot be roused or woken up
mental confusion
vomiting
What You Can Do
If you suspect someone is suffering from alcohol poisoning there are a few steps you should take:
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Call 911
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Place the person in the recovery position
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Stay with the person until help arrives
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There are protections for people who call emergency services and may be taking part in illicit substance use (including underage drinking). If you are underage or partaking in illicit substances, mention the Good Samaritan Law on the phone to ensure protection from criminal charges for you and the person experiencing the emergency.*
*Restrictions to the Good Samaritan Law include evidence of child or elder abuse or amount of substance present to assume intent to distribute. Please check current legislation for intent to distribute amounts.