How many college students died last year due to alcohol- and other drug-related causes?

Those data do not exist in any central registry. The Center maintains a database of anecdotal reports, chiefly from the media, but cannot confirm that this database is accurate and complete. A number of confounding factors makes this information difficult to collect and main tain. For example, the media does not report all student deaths nor does the Center have access to all media channels. Initial media reports regarding a suspected alcohol and/or other drug connection may be contradicted subsequently when full information is available from the medical examiner. Nor do standard definitions exist, so that a fatality during the summer recess or unconnected with any official campus activities may not be considered as a college student fatality.

National estimates of college student alcohol-related fatalities and other consequences is derived from the Hingson et al. research conducted on behalf of the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Visit our page related to the NIAAA College Task Force Report for more information.