Nova Scotia’s chief public health officer has released a report with ideas on how to decrease binge drinking on university campuses, nearly a year after a student died from excessive drinking at Acadia University.

Dr. Robert Strang wrote the report for Acadia specifically, but the issue of university binge-drinking extends far beyond Wolfville.

Strang says binge-drinking is a complex issue because it has long been considered a social norm, at least during the university years, which can make it a difficult one to address.

Strang says the culture that exists around binge drinking can change only if individuals at the community and government levels are on board.

Acadia University has expressed its co-operation through changes to its school policies around on-campus drinking, and word is starting to spread among students.

“Drinking rules and policies are going to be more strict this year,” says one student.

The new rules come as part of Strang’s report. The school asked him to come up with ways to decrease high-risk behaviour around drinking after a 19-year-old Alberta man died last September after a night of heavy drinking in his residence.

“I personally lived in the residence that the tragedy occurred in and I did know the student,” says Student Union president Matt Rios.

With a small campus population of roughly 3,600 students, the tragedy hit almost everyone and while Strang says on-campus education is important, awareness needs to extend to the community.  

“Binge drinking is part of our social norm so the solutions to this are not going to happen in isolation,” says Strang. “We’re not going to make a difference in this if all we do is just do things differently on universities.”

Strang says parents should be given resources before students even begin classes, and all levels of government need to work together.

Wolfville Mayor Bob Stead agrees.

“It’s an opportunity now to educate and inform, rather than legislate and try to manage,” says Stead. “I think that distinction is critical and very important.”

The report suggests the university enforce policies on alcohol use on campus, which include limiting the size and length of parties in residences and banning shooters and happy hours from campus bars.

Strang also recommends a ban on alcohol sponsorship of campus events, monitoring drinking patterns by conducting surveys, and educating staff and peers on how to conduct interventions.

The report will be shared with other universities in Nova Scotia and across the country.

Acadia University president Ray Ivany believes it will work.

“I do believe as students come here, and even if they come here with high-risk behaviours being part of them, I think we can have an impact in changing both their behaviours and the culture that surrounds that,” says Ivany.

Others believe the report recommendations are a good idea, but they aren’t necessarily convinced they will work.

“I just hope students really take it seriously and really understand how bad drinking can be, especially excessive drinking,” says student Natalie Hewson.

Many of Strang’s recommendations have already been implemented at Acadia and the university has pledged to continue working on implementing the others.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell