We’re all on the same team when it comes to getting home safely!
College sports fans across Oregon are thrilled about the return of football season. With both University of Oregon and Oregon State University playing at home this weekend, the health departments for Lane and Benton counties are joining together to encourage people to stay safe when it comes to excessive alcohol use.
Sporting events and binge drinking often go hand in hand. That can contribute to unsafe driving and dangerous behaviors on and off the road. As people in Oregon gear up to celebrate their favorite teams, Benton and Lane counties want to remind everyone about the importance of driving sober and drinking less.
Excessive drinking impairs your judgment, slows your reaction times, and increases the likelihood of making fatal decisions. This football season, make a commitment to yourself and your loved ones: Celebrate safely and don’t drive under the influence.
“Football games are a great opportunity to come together and to celebrate our favorite sports teams, but alcohol doesn’t always have to be the focus,” said Suzie Beaupre, Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Education Program Coordinator for Benton County Public Health. “If you are going to drink, all football fans should make a plan before they start the celebration to keep our roads and community safe. We need a new way to think about alcohol, as many of us cross the line into drinking too much, partly because society makes it so easy.”
Over 2,500 people in Oregon die from alcohol-related causes every year, including cancers, heart disease, liver disease, violence and vehicle crashes. The share of Oregon adults who drink excessively is bigger than most of us realize, more than 1 in 5. Most people in this group are not affected by alcoholism or an alcohol use disorder.
“While rooting for the Ducks or Beavers, remember that after the game we’re all on the same team when it comes to getting home safely,” said Luis Pimentel, Alcohol and Drug Prevention Education Program Coordinator for Lane County Public Health. “Whether you are at the game or at home watching, out at a bar, or at a college party this weekend, these environments can lead to binge drinking, which can be dangerous.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of excessive drinking includes both heavy drinking and binge drinking:
- Binge drinking is when a man has 5 or more standard drinks in one setting or occasion. For women, it’s 4 or more drinks.
- Heavy drinking, the kind that can harm your health long-term, is 15 drinks or more a week for a man. For a woman, it’s 8 or more drinks.
It is also true that for some people, drinking
any alcohol is too much. And no matter who you are, drinking less is better for your health than drinking more.
Tips this football season:
- If you are going to host an event to watch the game, it’s important to have non-alcoholic options available for those choosing not to drink or who want to drink less.
- Avoid asking people why they aren’t drinking or pressuring them to drink more.
- Always arrange to have a designated driver to ensure you aren’t driving buzzed or drunk. That could include calling a rideshare or a taxi.
- Drink plenty of water and eat food while you’re drinking.
- Consider swapping every other drink with water or a non-alcoholic beverage option, or watering down a drink with more ice or low-sugar mixer.
- If you’re going to drink, set a limit for that event.
- Count your drinks when you’re at an event or out with friends. You can use an app to track your drinks.
Lane and Benton counties support Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA)
Rethink the Drink initiative to address the health harms caused by excessive drinking. This initiative isn’t telling people to stop drinking, but asks people to pause for a moment and think about the way alcohol is prevalent in their own lives and communities.
Go Ducks! Go Beavers!
If you or someone you care about is suffering from alcohol dependence or an alcohol use disorder, free confidential resources and support are available online or by calling or 1-800-923-435.
Lane County Public Health
Lane County Public Health strives to promote and protect the long-term health and the well-being of individuals, families, and our community. Lane County Public Health plays a critical role in protecting and improving the health of people across Lane County by providing a range of services aimed at promoting healthy behaviors; preventing diseases and injuries; ensuring access to safe food, water, clean air, and life-saving immunizations; and preparing for and responding to health emergencies.
Benton County Public Health
Benton County Public Health is committed to protecting the health and well-being of everyone who lives in, works in, or visits Benton County. Benton County Public Health focuses on preventing health problems before they occur. Their programs strive to create community conditions that help reduce health disparities, so all people have an equal chance for a long and healthy life.
Rethink the Drink aims to build healthier communities by decreasing excessive drinking and the harm it causes to individuals, families, and communities. Rethink the Drink raises awareness of the effects of excessive alcohol use across Oregon. It aims to start conversations about alcohol’s role in our own lives and communities. This initiative emphasizes health equity, noting that Black and Indigenous communities, and those with lower incomes or education, face higher rates of alcohol-related diseases due to systemic inequities. Rethink the Drink is committed to OHA’s larger goal to end health inequities in our state by 2030.
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