ALCOHOL-USE AMONG COLLEGE-STUDENTS IN SCOTLAND COMPARED WITH NORMS FROM THE UNITED-STATES

Four hundred fifty-sis undergraduates at a Scottish university complet ed the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey, an instrument widely used in the United States to examine the nature, scope, and consequences of alcoho l and other drug use on:college campuses. The Scottish students were f ound to drink more frequently, consume more alcohol, and engage in bin go drinking more often than their American counterparts, The Scottish students, also demonstrated higher rates of hangovers, missed classes, and blackouts than the Americans, but the percentage of American stud ents who had driven while intoxicated was greater than that of the Sco ts, Focus groups of students in Scotland and interviews with student a ffairs personnel and local officials indicated that student drinking i s not generally viewed as a problem because extensive alcohol use appe ars to be part of Scottish culture and is readily accepted, Students r eported that their drinking, other than in pubs, was,read out over tim e and was associated with eating and social activities. At student ser ial events where alcohol was served, there was little evidence of loud , inappropriate, aggressive, or otherwise rowdy behavior; drinking app eared to be handled in a more controlled, safe, and responsible way th an among US college students.