College Student Assessment of the Signs of Alcohol Poisoning: To Dream the Impossible Dream

Reliance on college student peer assessment of the signs of alcohol poisoning to prevent overdose deaths is, in most instances, an impossible dream, one that is both misleading and dangerous insofar as it fosters a false sense of security and enhances the perception of personal invulnerability. Although teaching the signs of alcohol poisoning should certainly continue, college students must understand that moderate and responsible drinking is the only reliable way to avoid death from alcohol poisoning.