Jun 13, 2015 10:19 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests that excessive drinking among college students could be reduced by social media.

Researchers from Boston University School Of Public Health found that social media messaging, screening and interventions can address heavy "heavy drinking on campuses as part of a comprehensive approach that includes consistent enforcement of drinking age and consumption laws, trained intervention specialists, and a crackdown on low-priced serving methods such as kegs and 'happy hours,'" MedicalXpress reported.

"Low prices and easy availability of essentially unlimited amounts of alcohol, especially served in large containers in poorly supervised settings, create an almost insurmountable barrier to effective action to prevent and reduce harm," said David Rosenbloom, who authored the reported.

Researchers' analysis showed that web-based screening and intervention programs, which were successful in small trials, should be tested on a larger scale and over a long enough time to measure their usefulness. They think "credible" messaging discouraging excessive drinking should be developed for students by experts in web/mobile design and programming.

"Emerging technologies offer an almost unprecedented opportunity to build and implement effective prevention and treatment interventions at scale, particularly in screening and intervention," the report said.

Researchers said they recognize that students "organize and live their lives on their smart phones and social media, making it possible to reach them at exactly the time they need information and help to avoid harm." However, they believe that social media tools "need to be utilized in the context of comprehensive policies that address price, access and accountability."

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