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Binge drinking is immature behavior. The reasons behind binge drinking are social and related to being accepted by the peer group. A binge drinker is either trying to gain acceptance with his or her buddies or trying to show the world that he or she is the best drinker of those present. Those who engage in binge drinking are the victims of peer pressure.

Binge drinking may provide a measure of social acceptance, but also exposes the drinker to a number of risks. First, there is the legal side. university rules and public laws censure public intoxication. A binge drinker is liable to face disciplinary action or may spend the night in jail. More serious are the consequences to relationships. A drunk seldom shows his or her best side. Friendships may be damaged by actions done while intoxicated. Romantic relationships are particularly vulnerable because subconsciously men and women are always evaluating each other as potential mates. If your girl has seen the ugly side of you while you are drunk, what will she remember about you when you "pop the question"? The most serious risk is the health risk. Alcohol is a poison. When we drink, we usually stay well below the toxic limit, but we become intoxicated as we approach the toxic limit. Drunken behavior is partly due to the body starting to shut itself down as a defense against the poison in the bloodstream. Even relatively low blood alcohol levels can trigger health problems in the liver, the stomach and the brain. A person intoxicated enough to vomit, risks choking on their own vomit. If large enough amounts of alcohol are imbibed, the person can die. This is why binge drinking is dangerous behavior.

It is human nature to justify our bad behavior. It is difficult to justify binge drinking. Aside from a small amount of social acceptance, there are no benefits to binge drinking. Nevertheless, binge drinkers and university officials look for excuses they hope will justify the existence of binge drinking parties. A convenient excuse is to cite the 21 drinking age, and to say students are tempted to drink because they are forbidden to drink.

The minimum drinking of 21 (of 18 in some localities) has been set in recognition of the need for a certain amount of self control while drinking. Public intoxication is not condoned, especially when it leads to fights, domestic disturbances, or drunk driving. Thus we want those who drink to be able to control the amount they drink and the rate at

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