Peer teams help check student drinking.

Byline: STRAIGHT STUFF By Jerry Gjesvold The Register-Guard

It's a new school year - a time for parties on campus. Heavy academic demands haven't quite kicked in, and young people, newly away from home, naturally want to experience everything college life has to offer. Often, that includes alcohol and other drugs.

This sets up a potentially dangerous situation. Every year about this time, we hear about accidents involving college students.

Serious injuries and fatalities are linked with binge drinking at parties. Sometimes other drugs are involved as well.

Media coverage, university alcohol awareness efforts, programs in fraternities and sororities and serious concern about lawsuits have all helped to acknowledge the problem.

But that doesn't change the fact that too many students, in no shape to drive, will get behind the wheel of a car this week or this month - maybe even tonight.

There's more that we can do to address the problem. In choosing a course of action, we will do well to observe three principles.

First, we have to admit that many young people, especially college age, are going to experiment with alcohol and other drugs. The first time away from home is a particularly popular time to have this experience.

Denying that it happens - regularly - doesn't help.

Second, as individuals, young people find it extremely difficult to confront each other in social situations. Expecting them to do so is unrealistic. It's another kind of denial.

Last, preparation helps. That way, when the situation occurs, the right action becomes easier, even automatic.

Most of us have rationalized not expressing a concern to someone at a party, sometimes coming to regret it. Preparation reduces rationalization.

With these principles in mind, colleges and universities, in cooperation with fraternities and sororities, can add a few simple actions to their existing programs.

Create peer teams of two, three or more young people for each event. For that evening, the people on the team, like designated drivers, refrain from using any mood-altering substances. Their "job" is to keep an eye out for peers who may be considering driving under the influence, and to help those people not do so.

Train everyone on a peer team in the most effective ways to approach a person who is preparing to drive but is in no condition to. This training involves repeated role playing with older adults or professionals. It's repeated often enough that comparatively little thought is required at the moment. They know what to expect, do and say.

Publicize the existence of peer teams. It's important that students expect to see their peers in these roles and that students understand the teams have the backup of student leaders and professional staff members.

Each of these steps will help because they reflect the reality of the situation - primarily the intense peer pressure present at social events.

Asking young adults to look after each other one to one is unrealistic. It's just too difficult.

It's also unrealistic to expect them to communicate effectively without thorough preparation. Being clear, but not heavy-handed, takes training and practice.

And publicity creates a culture where friends really do care whether or not others drive under the influence.

I know this isn't easy. I partied a great deal during college, too. But it will be much easier if we go about it the right way.

When we admit to ourselves the forces at work, we'll be able to counter them much more effectively. And we'll save lives along the way.

The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer. As Serenity Lane's statewide coordinator of employer services, Jerry Gjesvold helps companies create and manage their drug-free workplace programs. More information is available on the Serenity Lane Web site at www.serenitylane.org.

First, we have to admit that many young people, especially college age, are going to experiment with alcohol and other drugs. The first time away from home is a particularly popular time to have this experience. Denying that it happens - regularly - doesn't help.