Iowa ranks as one of the highest binge drinking states in the country.And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the yearly cost from excessive alcohol consumption in Iowa is about $2 billion.
"We'll split like a fifth and then we'll go to the bars... I black out almost every single time I drink." - University of Iowa student
On this edition of River to River - the culture and prevention of binge drinking in Iowa. We’ll look to where many say the behavior originates, our state colleges. University of Iowa students and Iowa City visitors share their experience with the drinking culture in Iowa City; and the University of Iowa's Tom Rocklin and local business owner George Etre talk about efforts being made to curb excessive alcohol consumption via the Partnership for Alcohol Safety. The discussion also includes some analysis from Iowa State University, as student Katie Titus talks about her recent editorial, "We Killed Veishea."
In the second half of the program, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics' Dr. Michael Takacs shares his research on binge drinking by young people, as well as his perspective as an emergency room physician who sees the short and long term effects of binge drinking on health. And, Des Moines resident and Al-Anon member, Lorraine, talks about her struggle with her daughter's alcoholism that manifested at age 16.
