NIAAA warns of increased alcohol problems for college students during pandemic

Abstract

Since the spring 2021 semester began, at least four college students have died due to alcohol‐related problems on campus, and as students headed to spring break the last week of March, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) warned of more underage and harmful drinking. Concerns about alcohol‐related tragedies, as well as increased transmission of COVID‐19, are up due to the crowds for spring break. In addition, young adults are facing unprecedented stressors, including uncertainty about their futures, lost income and social isolation. Research from early on in the pandemic already showed that drinking was up due to stress, and researchers at NIAAA are now concerned about a potential spike in alcohol use disorder, the agency warned in a press release last month. “Before the pandemic, young people were engaging in significant alcohol misuse,” said NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D. “Our concern is that these numbers could increase for young people during the pandemic. We must continue to encourage college students to take the appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and ensure that they have the tools, support, and strategies needed to cope with stress and avoid alcohol misuse.”