Education

One may notice that throughout all of these issues, education is a common theme, or rather the lack there of. The universities that do require freshman to complete a alcohol education course, typically have to course online and simply require it to be completed rather than a pass or fail. These online courses also only supply students with basic information. This information can include information such as the following. That blood alcohol content, or B.A.C., is the percentage of alcohol absorbed into the bloodstream. That a twelve ounce can of beer, a five or six ounce glass of wine, and one and a quarter ounce of eighty proof liquor is equivalent to a half ounce of alcohol. That the liver is the organ that oxidizes and breaks down alcohol. That body size, type and gender affect alcohol’s absorption rate in the body. This program would also most likely mention that the legal level of intoxication is a B.A.C. of .08 for those twenty-one and older while those that are underage is .00 B.A.C. With all this information one may think that it would be plenty, but there is plenty of information that is not covered in the above information and what you do not know can have dire consequences. Things that may not be included are as follows. Carbonated drinks increase the rate at which alcohol is absorbed. A person’s state of mind while drinking alcohol can increase one’s absorption rate. Fried foods, while not being a cure for intoxication, can slow the rate alcohol is absorbed into the body. Also that most D.U.I.s are received in the morning, due to the fact that an individuals B.A.C. has not returned to the legal limit after a night of sleep. Of course there are a plethora of things students are imply not educated on. To note one of the more serious topics not discussed is serious receiving a D.U.I., a citation for driving under the influence, can be and the consequences one may have to face. To begin with the total cost of receiving a D.U.I. as of November of 2013 is roughly 15,000 dollars. This may include all or some of the following: fines, court costs, an alcohol assessment, an ADSAC class, a lawyer, an application for a modified license, a license reinstatement fee, towing, increased car insurance, and an ignition interlock device. Of course each case is based on the individual, yet the cost alone would differ many people from ever getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated. As one can see the things that one is ignorant about can simply lead to one becoming overly intoxicated or to more serious consequences such as receiving a D.U.I. Many individuals could have stayed clear of any number of these consequences if there had only been an educational course for them to learn from. (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services; Oklahoma Restaurant Association)