What are the Second-Hand Effects of Alcohol Consumption?

The ‘second hand effects’ of alcohol use can be defined as the negative consequences of drinking experienced by people other than the drinker. They can include, for example, serious acts of sexual and physical violence as well as more everyday annoyances such as excessive noise or generally disruptive behaviour.

A recent study published in the journal Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy has set out to establish the relationship between exposure to alcohol’s ‘second hand effects’ and school satisfaction and achievement among university students in the United States.

The article concludes that exposure is considerable and that this negatively impacts on grades and overall enjoyment. As such, the authors advise that colleges and universities in the United States provide all students with relevant information on the adverse effects of second-hand exposure and provide more opportunities to live, study and socialise in alcohol-free settings. 

Click here to read the article in full in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy.