Alcohol is widely used all around the world, and it has been for a very long time. Our ability to tolerate alcohol (ethanol) dates all the way back to the first humans on earth and similar mechanisms have even been studied in resurrected ancestral primates. This ability may have developed as a way to tolerate fermenting fruit as a food source, but our ability to utilize it as an ingredient has completely changed the game. The ability to metabolize alcohol may have started off as a necessary survival mechanism, but it turned into a protection from something we intentionally consume. Nowadays it is commonly thought of as a social beverage, so it is easy to forget all of the associated risks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2016, the average amount of alcohol consumed per individual over 15 globally was 6.4 litres. As of 2018, alcohol consumption was responsible for an average of three million deaths globally every year. Ten percent of deaths from the age group of 15 to 49 can be traced to harmful alcohol consumption, making it a leading risk factor for premature death.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that based on a study ran from 1991-2015, most individuals younger than 21 that report binge drinking also have a tendency to do it on multiple occasions.
These statistics and trends can be very relevant to University campuses such as Guelph’s, since “partying” environments are not uncommon and there are many occasions where social drinking occurs. It is important to remember the numerous risks associated with alcohol toxicity, not only for one’s self but to protect those around us too.