"Drug use associated with driving is one of the main handicaps to road safety. In fact, almost half of the people who lose their lives in traffic accidents have consumed alcohol, drugs or psychotropic drugs". This was highlighted by Arantxa Gambra, from the General Administration of Traffic (DGT), during the presentation of the Healthy classroom of the School of Nursing of the University of Navarra and the I Week of Health Promotion: alcohol consumption in young people.

"We believe that our presence in these programs is fundamental, since the real preventive action isprecisely the Education ". This was pointed out by the provincial coordinator of Education Vial in Navarra referring to the various activities organized within this project of the academic center that aims to develop the potential of the university as a health promoting agent.

In this sense, the Healthy classroom of the School of Nursing has among its objectives "topromote the active involvement of universities, organizations and society in a culture of health, as well as to develop alliances, promote the Education and training or generate knowledge through the research", detailed Navidad Canga, professor of Community Nursing at the University of Navarra.

For this purpose, it has the partnership of the DGT, the association de Daño Cerebral de Navarra (ADACEN) and the association Navarra de financial aid and Rescue DYA. Precisely the latter will participate in a drill with its volunteers next Thursday, April 6, in which several scenarios related to alcohol consumption in young people at parties or other youth leisure events will be presented. 

The Healthy classroom begins by focusing on alcohol, since it is the second leading risk factor for disease in Europe and the drug of choice for young people. "Navarra is one of the three autonomous communities with the highest alcohol consumption among young people, exceeding, also, the nationalaverage in the prevalence of binge drinking and where four out of ten students recognize consuming alcohol in the form of binge drinking, that is, a high intake in a short period of time, according to data of the Spanish Observatory on Drugs and Drug Addictions".

These new forms of consumption have generated significant social alarm not only because of their novelty but also because of the social and health problems they entail. "It has been shown that they are associated with brain damage, suicides, sexually transmitted diseases, violence and crime, and serious traffic accidents," stressed the expert.

For this reason, university centers should include in their organizational culture initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles. To this end, according to the professor at School Nursing, it is essential "that the students themselves become health agents since, as they are of a similar age and group status, they teach and share values, behaviors and information on healthy habits more effectively".