An advance screening of Risky Drinking, a soon-to-be-released documentary on the dangers of alcohol abuse, followed by a panel discussion, will be held at the Yale School of Public Health on November 17. In time to mark the annual Harvard-Yale football game that will take place at Harvard Stadium on November 19, the film will also be screened at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health on November 16.
Presenting a long view of how drinking can destroy lives, Risky Drinking aims to address college and graduate students whose attitude toward alcohol may now be one of as a means to relax and have fun, but could be in danger spiraling out of control. The film offers viewers an opportunity to recognize when their drinking may be putting them at risk, offers preventive information and outlines treatment options.
Directed by the Emmy and Academy-Award winning director Ellen Goosenberg Kent, Risky Drinking follows the stories of four people, from 28 to 55 years old, who are coping with varying degrees of alcohol abuse, ranging from binge drinking to alcohol dependence. Through examining the personal troubles and experiences of these four people, and presenting information from addiction experts who explain the science behind addiction, the film takes a powerful, in-depth look at the dangerously high costs of drinking, which for many begins as a college student.
“Alcohol abuse is a serious problem and for many it begins during college. The Yale School of Public Health is pleased to host the screening of this important film and the panel discussion that will further explore the dimensions of a major public health problem,” said Professor Vasilis Vasiliou, Ph.D., chair of the School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences.
The Harvard-Yale football game, or “The Game,” as it is known, is an annual event that brings, along with a spirit of friendly rivalry between two schools, a spike in college-age drinking. Five years ago, a woman was killed during tailgating at the Yale Bowl when a rental truck, driven by a Yale student and carrying beer kegs, struck and killed her.
Alcohol abuse is a serious problem and for many it begins during college.
Vasilis Vasiliou
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, who is a co-presenter of the film along with HBO, drinking is a very common occurrence among college students. Almost 60 percent of college students have used alcohol, and two out of three of those students have engaged in binge drinking. Consequences from high rates of drinking are severe: each year, it is estimated that more than 1,800 college students die from alcohol-related injuries, including car accidents. Nearly 700,000 students are assaulted, and nearly 100,000 experience sexual assault or date rape.
The screening on November 17, which will be held at 5:30 in Winslow Auditorium, 60 College Street, and will be followed by a panel discussion, featuring the documentary’s director, Carrie Wilkens of the Center for Motivation & Change, Dean Paul Cleary, Stephanie O’Malley, professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Vasiliou, and a representative from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Dinner will be provided at the screening and the event is open to all.