According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, more than 1,700 college students in U.S. die each year — about 4.65 per day — as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
The Youngstown State University program YSU for Recovery is a 12-step based drug and alcohol prevention program, which provides support for YSU students, faculty and staff who are seeking to address and eliminate harmful use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
Matthew Glover, student and founder of the program, said the idea of alcohol awareness is very important.
“Educating people on the effects of any addiction is very important because not only does the addiction destroy our lives it destroys the live of everyone around us,” Glover said. “I think this is especially important to college students.”
Each year, more than 3.3 million college student’s ages 18-24 drive under the influence of alcohol and 599,000 students sustain alcohol-related injuries each year. A 2009 survey by the National Institutes of Health also reports 40 percent of college student drinkers admitted to binge drinking at least once within two weeks of taking the survey.
On average, students who have been drinking assault approximately 700,000 other students and about 100,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape each year.
Glover said that creating a sense of awareness is important not only to those who may be battling a drug or alcohol problem, but to everyone.
“There are many people in this community that simply are not aware of the effects of alcohol and the damage that it causes not only to themselves, but everyone around them — including the people they love the most,” Glover said.
YSU for Recovery holds its meetings every Friday — excluding finals week — from 1-2 p.m. in Kilcawley Center’s Bresnahan Room III.
“The people that attend the YSU for Recovery meetings are like family,” Glover said. “We support each other through the ups and downs of the college experience and I am truly grateful to be part of a great group and great university.”
