Red solo cups

St. Patrick’s Day is a time of festivities and celebration. Help keep your friends safe this holiday weekend by helping prevent and respond to alcohol poisoning. More information about St. Patrick's Day activities is available at colorado.edu/shamrock.

What does alcohol poisoning look like?

CU Boulder Amnesty Policy

Calling for help in an alcohol- or drug-related emergency means neither the person who calls for help nor the person who needs help will be subject to formal disciplinary sanctions by the university (i.e., probation, suspension, expulsion).

To be covered by the Amnesty Policy, a student must:

  • Call for help (911 or university staff).
  • Stay with the intoxicated individual until help arrives, and put them into the recovery position if they are exhibiting signs of alcohol poisoning.
  • Cooperate with staff and emergency responders.

For more information about the Amnesty policy visit the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution's website or review the student code of conduct.

If you see someone with these symptoms, they may be experiencing alcohol poisoning:

  • Passed out and unresponsive
  • Fewer than 12 breaths per minute
  • Vomiting while passed out
  • Pale/bluish or cool/clammy skin
  • Uncontrolled peeing or pooping

How can you help?

If someone is exhibiting signs of alcohol poisoning, call 911 for help. While you wait for paramedics to arrive, do the following:

  • Make sure that the person is in a safe place to avoid injury.
  • Gently turn them on their side and put them in the recovery position.
  • Stay with them; never leave a severely intoxicated person alone or with someone who is not a trusted friend.
  • If the person may have used opiates in any form, including pain pills, administering Naloxone can reverse an overdose (Naloxone is safe to use even if the person is not experiencing an overdose, so when in doubt, it’s best to administer it). Naloxone is available at the pharmacy in Wardenburg Health Center.

Learn more about alcohol poisoning and the recovery position.