It\u2019s that time of year again: spooooooky season is upon us! If you love Halloween as much as I do, then you know this weekend is going to be a total scream. Whether you’re going to a party or bingeing scary movies in your dorm or apartment, it\u2019s important to remember how to stay safer around alcohol and other substances. No matter what your Halloween plans are, you should always have some harm reduction strategies you can fall back on. We\u2019ve outlined some tips so you and your friends can stay safe while still having fun this Halloweekend!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going out in a group is safer than walking alone<\/a>, especially at night, so it’s best to stay with your friends. Have your phone charged and everyone\u2019s numbers saved, and stick with the same group for the duration of the night. This way, you can continuously check to make sure everyone is accounted for. Also, make sure to plan a safe way to get home together before going out! It\u2019s always better to call an Uber than get in a car with someone who might have been drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Halloween weekend might mean more partying\u2014studies show<\/a> that some college students drink alcohol more than usual during the celebrations. If you\u2019re heading out and choosing to drink, make a game plan with your friends: set your limits, eat before you go and alternate alcoholic drinks with water. Avoid mystery mixes and keep an eye out for each other so the night stays fun\u2014not scary!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to staying in a group and making a drinking plan, make sure you establish clear boundaries before a night out and always feel empowered to say no\u2014whether that\u2019s to drinking, hooking up or just going to a party. If you notice coercion and peer pressure, be sure to tell your friends and only partake in activities that you<\/em> are excited about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing alcohol poisoning signs is incredibly important to be prepared for any emergency. An easy way to remember the warnings of alcohol poisoning is the acronym C.U.P.S.<\/a> If you see someone showing any of these signs of alcohol poisoning, call for help at 911 or 315.443.2224<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, Syracuse winters are brutal\u2014but if you\u2019re out partying and you notice someone else has extra <\/em>cold skin, that\u2019s not just the weather. Alcohol tricks your body into thinking it\u2019s warm, while your core temperature is actually dropping. If your friend\u2019s skin starts feeling cold or clammy and is looking pale and blue, it could be a warning sign of alcohol poisoning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cU\u201d in the alcohol poisoning acronym may stand for \u201cunconscious,\u201d which is a symptom of alcohol poisoning that speaks for itself, but it can also mean being unresponsive<\/em>. If your friend\u2019s eyes are open but they\u2019re giving major zombie energy\u2014no reaction, blank stare\u2014that\u2019s not just spooky-season behavior. You don\u2019t need to shake them like a maraca, but if they\u2019re looking straight through you like you\u2019re invisible when you\u2019re trying to get their attention, it\u2019s time to get help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puking is your body\u2019s last-ditch effort to kick the alcohol out of your system before things get dangerous. If someone\u2019s throwing up nonstop and can\u2019t control it, that\u2019s a big red flag for alcohol poisoning. Even scarier? Too much alcohol can shut down your gag reflex, meaning you could choke on your own vomit. Also, be aware that sometimes vomiting can be silent if a person is unresponsive or unconscious, so don\u2019t overlook signs when your friends might look like they’re \u201csleeping it off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol doesn\u2019t just mess with your balance\u2014it can slow down your breathing, too. If someone\u2019s taking weirdly slow or uneven breaths (like one breath every five seconds or more), that\u2019s not normal party fatigue. Their brain and organs might not be getting enough oxygen, which can be seriously dangerous. When in doubt, don\u2019t wait it out\u2014call for help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If someone\u2019s showing signs of alcohol poisoning, whether that\u2019s a friend, classmate or random partygoer, don\u2019t panic, just C.A.R.E.<\/a>: your go-to checklist for what to do next and how to get help fast. It\u2019s easy to remember and could make all the difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If someone might have alcohol poisoning, don\u2019t wait\u2014get help fast. Call 911 anywhere in the U.S., or if you\u2019re on campus, contact Syracuse University Ambulance at 315.443.4299<\/a> or the University\u2019s Department of Public Safety (DPS) at 315.443.2224<\/a>. You can also use the Orange Safe app<\/a> or hit a Blue Light<\/a> nearby. Help is always just a call (or tap) away!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If someone\u2019s passed out or barely conscious, roll them onto their side. This keeps their airway clear and helps prevent choking\u2014because no one wants a party to turn into a medical emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stay by their side until help gets there. Keep an eye on how they\u2019re doing and watch for any changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to the University\u2019s Medical Amnesty Policy<\/a>, students who call for help or receive it can do the right thing without worrying about getting in trouble. Safety comes first\u2014there\u2019ll be no judgment, and cooperating students are often not referred for a disciplinary process with Community Standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know how to stay safer around substances, you can keep these tips in your back pocket throughout Halloweekend and beyond. To learn more about alcohol safety and harm reduction strategies, explore the Barnes Center at The Arch\u2019s website<\/a>, reach out to the Barnes Center Health Promotion team<\/a> or stop by one of the Barnes Center’s Alcohol and Cannabis Safety Health Hubs, either before or after your Halloween festivities. Finally, if you see any suspicious behavior, call DPS at 315.443.2224<\/a> to report it. Always remember to be safe, and have a fang-tastic night!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Written By Kate Jackson<\/strong> \u201926, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s that time of year again: spooooooky season is upon us! If you love Halloween as much as I do, then you know this weekend is going to be a total scream. Whether you’re going to a party or bingeing scary movies in your dorm or apartment, it\u2019s important to remember how to stay safer…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":5787,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,23],"tags":[227,40,17,339,564,226,98,228,461,303,86],"class_list":["post-5781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-life","category-health-and-wellness","tag-alcohol-safety","tag-barnes-center","tag-barnes-center-at-the-arch","tag-campus-safety","tag-care","tag-cups","tag-halloween","tag-harm-reduction","tag-health-and-wellness","tag-safety","tag-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/324"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5781"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5781\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5784,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5781\/revisions\/5784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/experience.syracuse.edu\/the-peel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Have a Drinking Plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other Harm Reduction Strategies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Recognize Warning Signs of Alcohol Poisoning: Notice C.U.P.S.?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
C: Cold Skin<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
U: Unconscious\/Unresponsive<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
P: Puking<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
S: Slow Breathing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
If You Notice C.U.P.S., Take C.A.R.E.!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
C: Call for Help Right Away<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A: Angle the Person on Their Side<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
R: Remain With the Person Until Help Arrives<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
E: Empowered by the University’s Medical Amnesty Policy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n