Alcohol and Other Drugs
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning/Overdose
- Breathing slower or irregular
- Passed out or semi-conscious and cannot awaken
- Cold, clammy, have pale or bluish skin color
- Vomiting
If any of these signs occur, get help.
- Call 645-2222 if on campus.
- Call 911 if off campus.
- Help a friend, make a call.
Know Your Limits: Alcohol Awareness Video
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UB Programs and Partnerships
UB-SAFER (Students Avoiding Further Exposure to Risk)
The UB-SAFER program is an educational resource available to all students who wish to learn more about potential consequences associated with drug and alcohol usage. The program offers education in a safe environment to help students make healthy decisions. Referrals to this program are often made through the Student Wide Judiciary and the Resident Halls and Apartments, for violation of an alcohol or other drug policy or law, on or off campus. UB-SAFER referral page
Presentations and Training
Ongoing programs are available for residence halls and apartments, UB 101 classes, Greek chapters, athletic teams, and Student Association clubs. Topics include: "What's in Your Cup?".
In addition, WES staff meets with Resident Advisors to train them in skills to identify signs of alcohol and drug abuse and how to seek help for students at risk. RAs can submit an online program request.
Alcohol and Drug Free Activities
On-going Wellness activities are available to students so they may learn healthy ways to socialize that do not involve alcohol and drugs. These programs include yoga, fitness hour, walking club, and others. Visit Life & Learning Workshops to register.
Rethinking Drinking Video
See what our Alcohol Program has to offer for you!
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The 2011-12 Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Program Team
In front row (from left to right) Sharlynn Daun-Barnett, Marla McBride and Jenna Guadagnino.
In back row (from left to right) Nadav Weinstock, Bethany Torres, Yasmine El-Gohary, Caitlyn Rinaldi, Stephanie Chary and Emilee Yormick.
Our Philosophy
Wellness Education Services is part of a network of campus departments that support and promote healthy behaviors. Wellness Education's philosophy on alcohol and other drug education and harm reduction are:
- Providing the most recent data concerning alcohol and other drugs is the best way to inform students and give them a chance to make the most responsible decisions concerning alcohol and other drug use.
- While alcohol and other drug use is a concern on college campuses, the majority of college students drink moderately or not at all.
- Enforcement of laws and policies concerning alcohol and drug use creates a campus environment that is united in its goal for a healthy campus community.
- Alcohol and drug-free events and activities are an integral part of our healthy campus environment.
Background Information
Research has shown that abuse of alcohol and drugs is a national public health concern. More than 43% of college students report some heavy episodic drinking and thousands of students annually experience problems related to their alcohol use, including unintentional injuries, risky sexual behaviors, sexual assault, fights, and traffic crashes. (Alcohol Policies on College Campuses, Jnl Amer College Health, Vol 53 (4), Jan/Feb 2005).
The college experience is so much more than getting a degree; it's about developing one's identity and forming lifetime health behaviors, including one's use of alcohol and other drugs. To neglect alcohol and drug education, including how students successfully adopt healthy behaviors, could detrimentally impact every other area of an individual's life. Since substance use effects both those who use and bystanders, substance abuse is a concern to the entire university community and requires a community response.
Reducing the Risk
- Students can have a complete and enjoyable college experience without drinking or doing other drugs.
- Underage drinking and the use of any illegal drug violates university policy and New York State law.
- Alcohol and other drug consumption increases your risk of being a perpetrator or being a victim of assault.
- Students can increase other student's safety by calling 645-2222 (on campus) or 911 (off campus) in an alcohol or drug overdose situation.
- Using any mind-altering substance and driving puts the driver, passengers and others on the road at risk.
- Most college students overestimate the amount and frequency of substance use among their peers.
- Mixing alcohol and other drugs can have unexpected and dangerous outcomes.
- Alcohol and drug use can interfere with academic success.
- Most University at Buffalo students do not use illegal drugs.
- Be well informed. New information on drugs is coming from new research all the time. What was thought to be true, even a few years ago, may no longer be accurate.
There are ways to party smarter if someone chooses to drink. To learn more, check out our Party Smart Tips:
* Inspired by Western Washington University www.wwu.edu 
Facts
There are several biological reasons that women's bodies cannot process alcohol as fast as men, including:
- Body fat percentage
- Hormonal changes
- Women have 70% less of the stomach enzyme that breaks down alcohol
Add us on Facebook "Smart Party Girls Know the Facts - University at Buffalo" to learn more
Printable Flyer about Women & Alcohol: PDF (532KB) | Word (26KB)
The Woman and Alcohol Task Force at the University at Buffalo aims to:
- Increase awareness of the ways that women are biologically and socially affected by alcohol.
- Decrease the high-risk drinking behaviors of UB students.
- Provide more resources for intervention with female students who experience negative consequences from drinking alcohol.
- Ultimately change the culture at UB to one where women can confidently choose not to drink and make safer choices regarding alcohol if they do choose to drink.
Marijuana
There has been a slight rise in marijuana use in the past few years though overall use is still relatively low. Sixty-eight percent of UB students reported that they had never used marijuana (National College Health Assessment, 2010). Some students uphold misperceptions about the effects of marijuana on the body, believing it is a safe alternative to alcohol or even tobacco. To learn more facts about how marijuana affects college students, check out our Marijuana Information Sheet:
UB, Community, and Internet Resources
On Campus:
- Counseling Services, 645-2720
- Student Health Services, 829-3316
- Wellness Education Services, 645-2837
- University Police, 645-2222
Off Campus in Buffalo:
- Alcoholics Anonymous
, 853-0388
- Alcohol & Drug Dependency Services
, 855-0163
- BryLin Hospital
, 886-8200
- Division of Substance Abuse Services
, 886-2137
- Erie County Medical Center - Substance Abuse Services
, 898-3000
- Horizon Health Services
, 831-1800