Study: Students Studying Abroad Get Drunker, Do New Drugs

Studying in a foreign country can make people more mature, self-confident, and even employable, research has shown. It also can lead people to take potentially dangerous risks, including trying new drugs, a new study suggests.

The survey, released on Wednesday by On Call International, a firm that provides risk management services to Americans traveling abroad, shows that young people may be tempted to heighten their alcohol intake while in another country. The company surveyed 1,000 current or recent students who studied in a foreign country while in college. Half the respondents who said they drank alcohol said they drank more while abroad. Eleven percent said that while at school in a foreign country, they were more likely to “black out,” losing memory during a bout of drunkenness.