Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning can be a much more critical situation than alcohol use. Alcohol poisoning is a true emergency situation, and must be responded to immediately.

The symptoms of alcohol poisoning are:

  • Person is unconscious or semiconscious. You have a hard time waking them up and they will not stay awake.
  • Person has cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin
  • Slow breathing (less than 8 breaths per minute)
  • Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
  • No response to pinching the skin
  • Vomiting while passed out, and not waking after vomiting
  • Seizures

Learn more about alcohol poisoning and what you can do to help a friend!

USI now has a medical amnesty policy. If you call for help for a friend who has been drinking, you and/or your friend may have some protection from University and legal penalties. Don't let the possibility of getting in trouble prevent you from getting help!

Scenario:

You are at a party when someone runs up to you and yells for you to come with them because your roommate is not breathing. You go to the room and there are lots of empty alcohol bottles and cups around. Your fellow party-goer is hysterical about your roommate drinking too much at the party. You see that your roommate’s breathing is irregular and she is cold and clammy. What do you do?

Make the first move:

  • Check in with anyone who is showing signs of possible alcohol poisoning.
  • If you notice someone passed out, vomiting, incoherent, unable to answer simple questions, call Public Safety at x7777 or 492-7777 (if on campus) or 9-1-1 (if off campus) immediately.
  • If they are passed out, roll them to their side.
  • Do not leave the person alone.
  • If vomiting occurs, clear airway by sweeping out vomited material from mouth.
  • Do not give food or force fluids.
  • Be ready to tell the EMTs what and how much the person has had to drink, if they have taken any other drugs or medication, how long it has been since the symptoms started, and other relevant information.

We express our appreciation to the University of Arizona C.A.T.S. Life Skills Program for allowing us to use modified versions of their STEP UP! Program content in this USI campus initiative.