No longer simply an amusing night of trick-or-treating for young children, Halloween has now become a major drinking holiday in the United States. Halloween is also a particularly popular social event for college students, and the festivities can last for several days.

Family members need to know that Halloween is not just about candy any more. For alcohol companies, Halloween has become a big business opportunity, so the marketing tactics are extensive.

College students are inundated with Halloween-themed images and messages that promote celebratory drinking. As a result, even students who do not ordinarily drink excessively might view Halloween as an opportunity to engage in high-risk drinking.

Research shows that students who drink with a specific reason to celebrate, like a holiday such as Halloween, reach higher levels of intoxication. Along with increased drinking comes more negative consequences such as skipping class, falling behind in classes, injury and safety risks, and use of other drugs.

Here are four things you need to know as a family member about Halloween:

1.  Halloween costumes can be great fun at any age, and many students enjoy dressing up for Halloween parties. But did you know that college students who choose to dress up in costumes for Halloween are more likely to drink?
2.  Many Halloween parties occur off campus, where drinking is less regulated than at on-campus venues. The lack of rules and oversight makes off-campus parties particularly dangerous for fostering excessive drinking.
3.  Halloween-themed drink promotions at local retailers are popular because they make alcohol cheaper to buy, but they also encourage heavier drinking.
4.  High-profile drinking events such as Halloween can exacerbate students’ overblown beliefs about how much their peers are drinking. When students overestimate what is a “normal” amount of drinking on their campus, they can feel more pressure to drink heavily on Halloween and other special occasions. In other words, although the truth is that most college students do not drink excessively, on Halloween it might seem like everyone does.