Every student has to make decisions about their substance use, and we want to help you make choices that enhance your health and wellbeing. If your use has become chronic or excessive, it may affect your academics, relationships, athletic performance, and/or mental and physical health. We can help you gain knowledge and develop skills to make good decisions about your use and to minimize risks to your wellbeing.
What is a drink? What is a BAC? How can I avoid a hangover or blacking out?
On average, a person can break down one standard drink per hour. This can vary based on a person’s sex and other factors. Alcohol is broken down by an alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme in the liver. The amount of alcohol that a person has in their bloodstream is their blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
The size of a standard drink depends upon the type of beverage:
Distilled spirits (vodka, whiskey, gin, tequila, etc.) = 1–1.5 oz.
Wine = 4-5 oz.
Malt Liquor = 8–9 oz.
Beer = 12 oz.
There are many ways to avoid the negative consequences of alcohol, if you choose to drink. It’s important to remember that how alcohol impacts a person can be influenced by medication they are taking, if they are using other drugs, and a person’s menstrual cycle, among other factors. Here are some tips to avoid some of the most common negative consequences:
Biphasic Response
The more and faster you drink, the less you will experience any pleasant effects of alcohol and the more you will feel the negative effects. This is known as the biphasic response.
To see how strong a particular drink is and what effect it can have on you, use this blood alcohol content calculator.
Resources
There are a number of resources to learn more about alcohol and the effects it can have on your health and wellbeing:
As Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) increases, so does impairment.
.31 – .45% BAC = Life-Threatening
.16 – .30% BAC = Severe Impairment
.06 – .15% BAC = Increased Impairment
0 – .05% = Mild Impairment
What are the signs that someone may have had too much to drink or used too much of a drug?
If you are concerned that someone may have alcohol poisoning or be experiencing a drug overdose it is important to contact ACEMS immediately.
Some of the signs of alcohol poisoning include:
What should I do if I am worried about my or my friend’s use of alcohol or other drugs?
Some signs that someone might have an issue with alcohol or other drugs include:
Resources
Is Marijuana legal is Massachusetts? Is it safe? Can I use it on campus?
Amherst College receives federal funds. Marijuana is still illegal at the federal level. Even though Massachusetts has decriminalized marijuana, its use and possession on campus is a violation of our community standards. Students are prohibited from using marijuana even if they have a medical marijuana card.
Marijuana is the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. Extracts can also be made from the cannabis plant. Marijuana can be consumed in many ways, including smoking a cigarette, using a water pipe, or eating edibles that contain marijuana. Marijuana can also be consumed using e-vaporizers (these are similar to e-cigarettes but burn marijuana oil at a higher temperature). There is no standard for the amount of marijuana contained in these products, so the amount of marijuana and the THC concentration can vary greatly.
Things to know:
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the short-term and long-term effect of using marijuana include:
Short-term effects (while using or right after using):
Effects that last longer than the short term (a few days) but may not be permanent:
Long-term effects (effects of repeated use):
Is vaping (using e-cigarettes) safe? Is it allowed on campus?
Electronic cigarettes are battery-operated devices that people use to inhale nicotine, flavoring, and other chemicals. E-cigarettes are sold under a variety of brand names and can look like a traditional cigarette, a pipe, a pen, or a USB drive. In most devices the battery is activated when the person inhales; this heats the liquid and “vaporizes” it, allowing the person to inhale it.
E-cigarettes are not allowed in any building on the Amherst campus. Using e-cigarettes of any kind is a violation of community standards.
Some things to know:
Resources:
National Resources: