Corresponding Author: Sungsoo Chun Department of Health Management, Sahmyook University 26-21 Gongreung-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-742, Korea Tel: +82-2-3399-1668, Fax: +82-2-3399-1672, E-mail: chss97@syu.ac.kr * The College Alcohol Study (CAS) grant was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; the Korean College Alcohol Study (KCAS) grant number 03-30 was funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare and Sahmyook University, Korea. Article submitted 07 December 2009, Revised 11 December 2009, Approved 12 December 2009 A Comparison of Alcohol Secondhand Effects among Korean and U.S. College Students Sungsoo Chun* , Aeree Sohn*, Easton A. Reid*, Rubelyn Inot***, Mi-Kyung Kim***, Grace Percoheles***, Sang-Sook Lee****, Henry Wechsler** * Department of Health Management, Sahmyook University, Korea ** Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health *** Korean Institute on Alcohol Problems, Sahmyook University, Korea **** Long-term Care Center, Seniors Tower Co. . Introduction It has been widely known that harmful use of alcohol is prevalent among youth and is a key public health issue requiring urgent attention (Courtney and Pollach, 2009). Among collegiate Koreans, two out of five students usually drink seven or more alcoholic beverages when they drink, and 15% of students were found to be alcohol dependent (Chun et al., 2001). Many Koreans believe that drinking alcohol is essential for creating a pleasant atmosphere at gatherings, and nondrinkers are disadvantaged in their work and social experiences (Choi et al., 2001, Park et al., 2004). Drinking at gatherings is visible and often practiced among college students. Freshmen college students are pressured to join in drinking parties and consume more alcohol (Lee, 1998-99). In this country, cultural and societal norms play a major part in alcohol consumption and should not be viewed as an individual problem (Han, 1998). Excessive or binge drinking among college students is associated with a number of adverse health effects including hangovers, poor academic performance, legal trouble (Wechsler et al., 1998; Wechsler & Isaac, 1992), poor athletic performance (Leichliter et. al., 1998). Social and relational problems (Nezlek et al., 1994), unsafe and unplanned sex (Meilman, 1993), are also common. A study conducted in the U.S. regarding morbidity and mortality changes among 18- to 24- year-old college students from 1998 to 2001, found that binge drinking and driving while intoxicated(DWI), increased since 1998. The number of students who reported DWI increased from 2.3 million to 2.9 million (Hingson et al., 2005). In 2001, there was a 6% increase in unintentional injury deaths, an estimated 1,700 deaths among college students since 1998. (Hingson et al., 2005). Reports show that there were more Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion Vol. 26, No. 5, 2009, pp.115-127