There’s tons of stories out there of how to get sober quickly or how make sure you don’t get too drunk, but a lot of them are just not true.  Here are the most common myths out there about alcohol and the facts.

• FICTION: Black coffee, a shower, or running can help a person sober up
  FACT: Only time can sober you up, and it takes one hour for your body to process every one drink.  Black coffee, cold showers, exercise and other “cures” don’t work and can be harmful if someone has alcohol poisoning.  Here are the signs the symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

• FICTION: Drinking is a central part of most college student’s life.  
  FACT:  Over 80% of UHM undergrads say that drinking is not a central part of their lives.  Over 75% feel that drinking just to get drunk is not acceptable.  Find out more about what students think in the Student Survey section. 

• FICTION: Men and women of the same height and weight can drink the same amount.
  FACT: Women are affected more rapidly by alcohol because they tend to have a slightly higher proportion of fat tissue, which increases alcohol absorption, and fewer enzymes that break down alcohol.   As a general rule, women should drink no more than 3 drinks in one sitting, while men should drink no more than 4.  To check out what your recommended limits are, visit the alcohol limits section. 

• FICTION: You get less drunk drinking beer than hard liquor:
  FACT: One 12-oz can of beer, one 4-oz glass of wine, or one shot of liquor (in a mixed drink or alone) are all equally intoxicating.  Alcohol is alcohol.  Some may feel more drunk with hard liquor because they might consume it faster than a can of beer or because mixed drinks can have 2 or more shots.  Drinking too fast or too much of any drink will make you sick.

• FICTION: College students are pretty much all heavy drinkers. 
  FACT:  28% of UHM undergrads don’t drink alcohol at all.  Of those who drink, 74% have 4 drinks or fewer when they do drink.  So a huge majority of student aren’t heavy drinkers.  See more facts from the National College Health Assessment done at UHM in Spring ’08 in the Student Survey section.