The College
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota recognizes the risks associated with heavy alcohol consumption which can be fatal in extreme cases. This policy addresses the issue of seeking medical attention due to excessive consumption of alcohol. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota places a high value on the health and safety of its students and wishes to avoid students making decisions based on fear of disciplinary sanctions from the university.
If a student receives medical assistance or seeks assistance for a peer as the direct result of excessive alcohol consumption or due to a serious injury resulting from alcohol intoxication, he/she may avoid formal disciplinary sanctions for violating the university alcohol policy if she/he takes the following steps:
1. Within two days of the incident (for those students hospitalized within two days of returning to campus), the student schedules a meeting with the Dean of Students.
2. The student timely completes any recommended alcohol education, assessment, or treatment as determined at this meeting.
If a student does not follow these conditions, he/she will not qualify under the Good Samaritan Policy and will be subject to formal disciplinary action.
To the extent permitted by law, university officials reserve the right to contact parents of students that are hospitalized for alcohol abuse or that are unconscious or otherwise in serious physical jeopardy. In these cases, parental notification will be taken as a precautionary measure.
The university cannot control how local law enforcement offices will respond should they become aware of an alcohol-related incident.
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
(Exhibiting one or more of the following symptoms requires immediate medical evaluation)
Inability to rouse the person with loud shouting or vigorous shaking (unconsciousness)
Inability of a person who lost consciousness to stay awake for more than 2-3 minutes (semi-consciousness)
Slow or irregular breathing or lapses in breathing
Weak pulse, very rapid pulse, or very slow pulse
Cold, clammy or bluish skin
Vomiting while unconscious or semi-conscious, not waking up after vomiting, or incoherent while vomiting
What to do in an alcohol emergency
Call for help (911 and then 511 - campus safety).
Stay with the person until help arrives.
Turn the person on his/her side to prevent choking if the person vomits.
Be prepared to give the emergency medical personnel as much information as possible, including any drugs or medications taken.
Educational Initiatives
Saint Mary’s University takes seriously its responsibility to educate students on the issues of alcohol and drug abuse and use.
Risks of Alcohol and Other Drugs: The consumption of alcohol and other drugs often interferes with an individual’s ability to succeed as a student.
When persons become dependent on drugs for relaxation, fun or to stay awake, they can lose their natural ability to control their feelings and actions. With that can come a loss of the ability to cope with the world. The consequences of alcohol and drug use to change moods can impair one’s biological, psychological, social and spiritual functioning. One of the most serious risks is that of binge drinking.
Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks for a male, four or more drinks for a female, in a sitting. This type of high risk drinking — that is, drinking to get drunk — poses serious consequences. Binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning, alcohol-related driving crashes, unprotected, unplanned sex, violence, trouble with the law, and problems with roommates, parents and class work. Alcohol is a dangerous and addictive drug; it is a powerful depressant that slows down the mind and body.
Drugs also pose a serious risk to the individual student. The following list by drug category is only a sample of the risks involved.
Stimulants (caffeine, tobacco, No-Doz, amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine/crack) can make one feel jittery, nervous and paranoid, and can cause respiratory paralysis, heart disease, cancer and even death.
Depressants (alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers, methaqualone) can cause slowed reactions, confusion, drowsiness and loss of coordination, liver and heart damage, and cancer. Overdoses can cause coma, respiratory arrest, convulsions and even death.
Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, mescaline) can cause distorted perception, depression, confusion and irrational behavior. LSD use may result in death by suicide or accident. A PCP overdose can cause psychosis, convulsions, coma and death.
Predatory/Date Rape/Club Drugs (GHB, rohypnol, ketamine) are central nervous system depressants that are often connected with drug-facilitated sexual assault, rape and robbery. These drugs can cause muscle relaxation, loss of consciousness and an inability to remember what happened hours after ingesting the drug. Ketamine is an animal anesthetic that, when used by humans, can cause impaired motor function, high blood pressure, amnesia, seizures and respiratory depression.
Narcotics (heroin, morphine, opium, codeine) can cause lethargy, apathy and loss of concentration, self-control and judgment, as well as respiratory arrest, coma, convulsions and death.
Cannabis (marijuana, hashish) can cause difficulties with short-term memory as well as depression, panic, hallucinations, paranoia and a psychosis-like state. Heavy or long-term use can cause chronic lung disease and possible lung cancer.
On-Campus Resources
Wellness Center
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Wellness Center, located in the basement of the Toner Center, provides opportunities for students to obtain information about alcohol and drug use/abuse. Individual and group counseling, online educational CD-ROMs, books, and pamphlets are available for students use.
On-Line Assessment
The e-CHUG (electronic Check-Up to Go) is an interactive web survey that allows college students to enter information about their drinking patterns and tobacco use. Students then receive feedback about their use of alcohol and tobacco. It is a free service to any SMU student. It is accessible from any computer with internet access: www.smumn.edu/echug. The assessment takes about 5-10 minutes to complete, is self-guided, and requires no face to face contact time with a counselor or administrator.
However, any counselor in the Wellness Counseling Center will be willing to give you feedback or answer any additional questions you have regarding the assessment results.
Student groups/organizations
BACCHUS Network
The BACCHUS Network™ is a student led university based network focusing on comprehensive health and safety initiatives. The mission of BACCHUS is to actively promote student and young adult based, campus leadership on healthy and safe lifestyle decisions concerning alcohol abuse, tobacco use, illegal drug use, unhealthy sexual practices and other high-risk behaviors.
Health Advocates
Health Advocates are student leaders trained to provide other SMU students with health information and assistance in accessing care. They also work to enhance our Lasallian community by providing and creating environments and programs which support healthy choices.
Off-Campus Resources
Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center
Substance Abuse Services
122 2nd Street
Winona MN 55987
Phone: (507) 453-7933 ext. 222
Hotline: (800) 657-6777
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Winona Counseling Clinic
Chemical Dependency Services
111 Market Street, Suite 3-A
Winona, MN 55987
Phone : (507) 454-3909 |
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Wenden Recovery Services Inc
69 Lafayette Street
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (877) 574-7328
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Hoffe Counseling Inc
157 Franklin Street
Winona, MN 55987
Phone: (507) 457-0585
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The Legal Side of Alcohol and Drugs
The State of Minnesota requires that one must be 21 years of age to purchase, possess or consume an alcoholic beverage. It is unlawful for anyone to sell or give a person under legal age any alcoholic beverage or to induce such a person to purchase or attempt to purchase a beverage. The law forbids misrepresenting one’s age for the purpose of obtaining or consuming alcoholic beverages.
The State of Minnesota prohibits the sale or possession of cocaine, narcotic drugs, hallucinogens, marijuana, heroin and other Controlled Substance Act (CSA) Schedule. The definition of cocaine includes powdered cocaine and crack. The CSA Schedule of drugs may be obtained in the Jay Johnson Wellness Center. In addition to charging offenders with possession and sale crimes, Minnesota prosecutors can charge drug offenders with the following, depending on the circumstances: (1) failure to purchase drug tax stamps from the State Commissioner of Revenue; (2) money laundering, if the person conducted a financial transaction with the money that he/she knew were the proceeds of a felony drug crime; (3) racketeering; and (4) forfeiture of real and personal property used to possess or facilitate possession of a controlled substance.
Federal Law: The sale or possession of cocaine, marijuana, heroin and other Controlled Substance Act (CSA) Schedule drugs is also against federal law. The definition of cocaine includes powdered cocaine and crack. Penalties for conviction of a controlled substance crime may include mandatory minimum prison sentences. In addition, federal law also provides for the following, depending on the circumstances: (1) forfeiture of personal and real property used to possess or facilitate possession of a controlled substance; (2) forfeiture of vehicles, boats, aircraft or any other conveyance used to transport or conceal a controlled substance; (3) a civil fine of up to $10,000; (4) denial of federal benefits, such as student loans, grants, etc; (5) ineligibility to purchase a firearm; and (6) revocation of
certain federal licenses and benefits, e.g., pilot licenses, public housing, tenancy, etc. |