FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 13, 2006

Contact: Mandy Rey

(662) 329-7119

 

First annual National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week at MUW

 

            COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Mississippi University for Women will host its first annual National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week Oct. 16-20. The purpose of the week will be to promote personal responsibility and respect for the law when it comes to the consumption of alcohol beverages.

MUW students will join with their peers from more than 1,000 other campuses across the country to celebrate NCAAW. The weeklong event has been designed and implemented by students around the nation.

Events included in the observance give campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol, and to combat negative stereotypes of college drinking behavior.

            “We need to do a better job of showing college students-particularly new students – that their peers are not all abusing alcohol and making bad decisions,” said Deanna Wilkins, assistant director of counseling services at MUW.

“Students want to fit in and follow campus norms. If we incorrectly lead them to believe that everyone is getting drunk on a regular basis, then that’s what they will do. We have a responsibility to tell students that making healthy choices not to drink is the true norm. Then, we can begin changing public perception,” Wilkins added.

Finding Responsible Entertaining Alternatives on Kampus, otherwise known as F.R.E.A.K. Week, will be the theme for Alcohol Awareness Week 2006.

MUW students will have the opportunity to participate in several events, designed to emphasize fun without the use of alcohol, reinforce responsible attitudes toward drinking and respect for current state laws and school policies.

NCAAW is sponsored by the BACCHUS Network, a nonprofit organization that actively works to promote student and young adult based, campus and community-wide leadership on healthy and safe lifestyle decisions concerning alcohol abuse, tobacco use, illegal drug use, unhealthy sexual practices and other high-risk behaviors.

According to the BACCHUS Network, more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the country are expected to participate in this year’s campaign.

The use and abuse of alcohol is a growing problem among college and university students. In April 2005, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism published a report that suggested 1,400 college students die from alcohol-related injuries each year. It also reported that alcohol is involved in 600,000 assaults and 70,000 cases of sexual assault and acquaintance rape annually.

For more information, call Wilkins at (662) 329-7127.