Drink specials and the intoxication levels of patrons exiting college bars

Objectives: To determine whether drink specials independently increase patrons' risk of achieving a high level of intoxication upon exiting drinking establishments. Methods: In a campus community, data were collected from exiting patrons (N=291) via sidewalk interviews and breath tests on 6 nights of 2 consecutive semesters. Results: A multivariate model revealed that taking advantage of a drink special was associated with a fourfold increase in risk of achieving a BAC ≥ 80 mg/dl. Conclusions: These findings are the first to document that the drink discounting practices of college bars can be linked to higher intoxication levels among exiting patrons.