In 2007, at least thirty-one young people died of alcohol toxicity (alcohol poisoning, alcohol overdose).
"There's no place that's actually keeping data on alcohol deaths"--Thomas Kunstman MD.
In an article called Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18–24: changes from 1998 to 2001, by Hingson R, Heeren T, Winter M, Wechsler H. in Annual Review of Public Health. 2005, 26:259-279, the authors used statistical methods:
Estimated number of nontraffic injury deaths of all youth that are alcohol related:
1998 2001
991 1151
Estimated number of nontraffic injury deaths of college students that are alcohol related:
1998 2001
327 368
Alcohol Overdose Deaths on Campus or Those Under Age
[decedent's name with link], [age], [DoD], [university] [BAC]
The following list is generated by news reports listing cause of death as alcohol related. I am sure there are more.
- Brian W. Threet, 20, St. Cloud State, January 5, 2008, BAC unknown
- Chaz Lightner, 17,John Marshall High School (W. VA), February 10, 2008, BAC 0.374
- Jesse Drews , 21, March 24, (WI), March 24, 2008, BAC 0.38
- John Gunter, 17, White County, Georgia, April 25, 2008, BAC unknown
- William Kiel Bobbitt, 19, California University of Pennsylvania, May 1, 2008, BAC unknown
- Andrew I. Anderson, 16, Manako MN, May 30 2008, BAC unknown
In all cases, my deepest condolences to family and friends.
A young man in Minnesota:
After he watched an ambulance crew carry away a girl he knew earlier this year, he said, he wished he'd had another message dunned into him. If someone you know is breathing irregularly or passes out -- whether the reason appears to be too much drinking, or anything else -- call 911. Don't delay. Don't worry about getting him or her -- or yourself -- into trouble. Don't assume that "sleeping it off" is all that the situation requires.
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