During spring break, more than half of all men and more than 40 percent of all women drank until they became sick or passed out at least once, according to the Center for Disease and Control (CDC).

With common spring break destinations comes a lower drinking age, as well as serious consequences and responsibilities.

“The drinking age is 21 in the United States for a reason,” Oakland County Sheriff Stephanie Williamson said. “A lot of teens go excessive on spring break and it takes a serious toll on the body.”

In common destination spots such as: Mexico, Punta Cana and the Bahamas, the drinking age is 18. Many teens embrace this, the negative consequences never crossing their mind.

“Students believe since they are the drinking age in that country, they can handle the responsibilities that come with drinking,” Williamson said.

Many students engage in binge drinking, according to Registered Nurse Courtney Fox. It’s the most common pattern of excessive alcohol use in teenagers and is defined as men consuming five or more drinks in two hours, or women drinking four or more drinks, according to Fox.

“Students don’t realize it, but binge drinking is just as deadly as drinking every day,” Fox said.

Alcohol is a serious health problem that results from binge drinking. It’s usually talked about as something to brag about, the “spring break black out;” however, it comes with serious consequences.

Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include paleness, vomiting, slow or irregular breathing and seizures. If untreated, it can lead to choking on vomit, brain damage or a slowed heart rate.

“Kids usually seem afraid to report alcohol poisoning, but it’s extremely important you get help,” Fox said. “By not getting a friend the help they need, their health is even more at risk.”

Students can be unaware of exactly how much alcohol is in each drink, according to Williamson. While students think one shot will have no effect, most contain around 40 percent alcohol, according to the CDC.

“One drink may not seem to have a huge effect, while a second one, which doubles the amount of alcohol, can make a huge difference in decision making,” Williamson said.

Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system. It slows messages to and from the brain and this slowness increases with consumption. There’s a loss of precision motor skills, which help with coordination, muscle strength, normal sensation, awareness and planning. When faced with a serious, threatening situation, people won’t react as they would if sober, Williamson said.

“Drinking damages the body, as well as the reputation of that person when someone drinks too much,” Williamson said. “They drink too much and then make bad decisions and act in a manner that embarasses themselves.”

Drinking doesn’t only cause possible embarrassment, but can lead to serious situations such as sexual assault. It can reduce inhibitions and increase vulnerability, which can lead to dangerous situations, according to Fox.

“I remember when I went to Mexico with my brother a few years ago, we were given a lot of warnings about drinking in the clubs,” senior Taylor Banks said. “It’s not uncommon for people to try to slip things in a drink and that’s really scary.”

In 2012, 30 percent of all sexual assaults occurred when the perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol and 90 percent of all rapes occurred when alcohol’s been used by the perpetrator or victim, according to the CDC.

“You never know someone’s intentions and while intoxicated, it’s often hard to tell,” Williamson said. “You aren’t thinking clearly.”

If a student plans to drink, there’s precautions they can take to protect themselves.

“It can take a split second for someone to slip anything in your drink,” Williamson said. “This is something that can easily be prevented.”

She recommends watching the bartender when the drink’s made and never setting a drink down.

“Criminals and predators come in all shapes and sizes, and it might sound cold, but don’t trust anyone. It’s better to keep your guard up,” Williamson said.

It’s also important to cover drinks with a hand, according to Williamson. In crowded places with drinks out, it’s easy for someone to slip something into a cup.

“Being smart with your drink is really important,” Williamson said. “It could save your life”

“I would never recommend underage drinking; but if you’re going to do it, you need to be smart and responsible about it.”