The Health Center is currently creating a health education video encouraging students to abstain from alcohol consumption. The video will point out some of the possible consequences of even moderate consumption of alcohol The mission of the program is to “challenge students to consider their goals and dreams in life, and if alcohol will help them to achieve their goals and realize their dreams or if it could pose as a barrier,” Health Center Director Keith Lott said. It will feature three inmates that are serving jail terms for alcohol-related incidents. It will also feature a fast-paced and an “in-your-face” look at alcohol consumption. The Heath Center staff is working with an RTV major who has the expertise to film and edit the video. The program staff has received permission from a major recording artist to utilize their songs in the video. “It promises to be an interesting project that will hopefully help students consider the effect of the choices that they make today on their future,” Lott said.The project should be completed by the end of the summer and be distributed on campus in the fall.”On the subject of alcohol abstinence, I feel that it would be a lesson well learned by many students,” said senior English and history major Jerrod Johnson. “We have students on campus who do not realize that the mass consumption of alcohol can endanger people with weak livers and renal tracts. “I have personally lost loved ones to a person under the influence, and I know that many students do not think that a small amount of alcohol can affect them. Not only do you risk your personal safety by drinking, but you risk everyone else around you,” Johnson said. “The rate of date rape due to alcohol or deaths due to alcohol is alarming. I support the Health Center in its program to make students aware.”Promotion of abstinence from either sexual activity or alcohol consumption is not particularly popular in the health education field. Many claim that abstinence campaigns are unrealistic and ineffective. However, the fact remains that a person cannot contract a sexually transmitted disease or experience an unplanned pregnancy if he or she abstains from sexual activity, Lott said. In that same vein, students will not experience a negative consequence of alcohol consumption if they do not drink. “Students just do not realize that just a couple of drinks can cost a whole lot more than expected,” said Lott. The Health Center is seeking students who choose to abstain from alcohol consumption to participate in the video. Interested students should contact Keith Lott, director of the Health Center at 294-1843 with the following information: name, reason for abstaining and phone number.