by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
For those who get their holiday cheer from liquor and beer, Randy Haveson has some guidelines to reduce the odds of getting in trouble.
Haveson gives talks at colleges and high schools about alcohol consumption and manages a Web site for alcohol education. He said he doesn't tell people not to drink.
"I teach people low-risk guidelines on how to drink," he said. "For a lot of years, we've been giving people two messages. It's either, 'Just say no,' or, 'Just be responsible.' You go and ask five random people to define responsible drinking, and they'll give you five different answers."
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Student Jack Erikson said students drink more during the holiday season because there is finally a break from school.
"After a whole semester, I could see why people want to get wasted," he said.
Erikson said he will drink a lot if he doesn't have to drive
anywhere.
People should know their limits when it comes to alcohol, he said.
"Everybody I hang out with - they're not the angry-drunk type, so we don't have to worry about that," he said. "If someone is an angry drunk, they shouldn't be drinking that much, because then they'll be trying to fight everybody."
Haveson said people know how much to drink if they follow his guidelines, such as consuming one drink per hour and limiting drinking to twice a week. Sometimes it's best to not drink at all, he said.
People who drink more than the guide suggests have a problem, he said.
Student Brandon Whitney said people drink more during the holiday season because there are more parties and no school.
Whitney said his only rule when drinking is no drunken driving.
"If you're not stupid, you can drink as much as you want," he said.
Haveson said it's expected that people will drink at holiday parties.
"The amount of people who drink and drink to excess is enormous during the holiday season," he said. "People who don't normally drink will go overboard during the holiday season."
Members of Alcoholics Anonymous call New Year's Eve "amateur night," because people who don't drink much become alcoholics for that one night, Haveson said.
"They get caught up in the whole holiday spirit thing," he said. "It's not like they're conscious of how much they're drinking."
Haveson said the biggest problem with excessive drinking is drunken driving.
According to the New Mexico Department of Highway Safety, the average number of DWI fatalities in New Mexico is 15 for every month except December, which is 23.
The best way to address drunken driving is for people to take care of each other, he said.
"There's that old line, 'Friends don't let friends drive drunk,' but I truly believe that," he said. "I've heard too many people say, 'I knew I shouldn't have let him drive.'"
Haveson said it's irresponsible to drink to the point of intoxication.
"There's a huge difference between people who drink and people who drink to get drunk," he said. "People who do shots are drinking to get drunk, and those are the ones who tend to get in trouble."
Randy Haveson's Guide to
Responsible Drinking
Know the Code 0-1-2-3
One drink is defined as one 12-ounce beer, or one five-ounce glass of wine.
0 - Sometimes zero is your best option if...you have to drive.
you haven't eaten.
you've been sick.
you're on medication.
1 - No more than one drink per hour - that's all your liver can handle at once.
2 - Limit your drinking to no more than two times per week. High-risk drinkers consume alcohol three or more times per week.
3 - No more than three drinks in one day.
People who drink four or more drinks in a day are at a greater risk for getting in trouble.
Source: PartyWithAPlan.org
