The Illinois Poison Center is warning the higher education community that college students binge drink more frequently and are more likely to suffer an alcohol-related fatality or injury than those in the same age group who aren’t in college.

Based on recent surveys, the IPC is urging colleges and universities to educate their students about the dangers of alcohol use.

However, university health educators and students, while conceding alcohol can be a dangerous and overused drug, are rejecting the studies’ claims.

According to the IPC, the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that college students (ranging in age from 18 to 22) binge drink 6 percent more frequently than non-students in the same age group. Alcohol abuse also was found to be more frequent among college students by nearly 10 percent.

The studies defined binge drinking as drinking more than five drinks on the same occasion.

Sherilynn Spear, chairwoman of the department of Allied Professions, wasn’t surprised by most of the studies’ findings.

“Binge drinking is a very serious concern,” Spears said. “It endangers the health and well-being of the person doing the drinking, as well as the health and well-being of other people. People do things when they are drunk that they don’t do otherwise.”

However, health educator Steve Lux doesn’t give much credence to the study or others like it.

“It’s the same old story,” he said. “It’s the same old data that the same people are putting out. It isn’t new. I have a problem with the term ‘binge drinking.’ I think it labels people in an unfair way. Traditionally, binge has meant to go off and drink for days at a time and not remember where you were and who you were with. It’s an emotionally-charged label.”

Junior sociology major Lisa Mayse-Lillig agreed.

“[The stereotype] doesn’t apply to all students,” she said. “With any social problem, there is a core group of people who [do it], but it’s not representative of everyone.”

Lux said he encourages students who feel they have an alcohol problem to visit www.mystudentbody.com and enter NIUHuskie as the user name. There, students can take a test to find out if they use alcohol responsibly.