The aim of this paper was to compare the quantity and frequency of alcohol use and its associated negative consequences between two groups of college students who were risk alcohol users, randomly allocated in a clinical trial to intervention or control group.

Students who had undergone the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students – BASICS - (N=145 at baseline; 142 at 12 months, and 103 at 24 months, loss of 29.7 %) were compared with a Control group ((N=121 at baseline; 121 at 12 months and 113 at 24 months, loss of 9.3%), who did not undergo treatment. Risky alcohol use was defined as AUDIT ≥8 and/or RAPI ≥5 problems in the last year. Variables included drinking frequency, quantity and peak consumption, dependence assessment, and family and friends abuse assessment.

There was some improvement in treated students at 24-month follow-up shown by less drinks consumed used per occasion and lower AUDIT and RAPI scores.

This is the first brief intervention work on heavy episodic drinking with college students in Brazil and the results are encouraging However, it is difficult to conduct individual prevention strategies in a country where culture favors alcohol abuse due to poor public policy on alcohol and lack of law enforcement.