Basic Principles for Helping an Intoxicated Friend:

  • If the person has passed out, first check for any of the PUBS signs of alcohol overdose:
    • Puking while passed out
    • Unresponsive to pinching or shaking
    • Breathing is noisy, slow, shallow, or has stopped
    • Skin is blue, cold, or clammy.  If the person has darker skin, check for pale lips or nail beds.
  • If you see even one PUBS sign of alcohol overdose at any time, call 911 immediately.
  • If you're unsure, call the National Poison Control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 for free, expert medical advice 24/7.
  • If you are impaired, enlist the help of a sober friend to ensure clear decision-making.
  • If you have any doubt about an intoxicated person's safety, err on the side of caution and call 911. 

Guidelines for helping someone who has passed out and has no PUBS signs:

  • Help the intoxicated person to a safe place to rest, and use the BACCHUS Maneuver to keep their airway open and make it less likely they will choke should they vomit while passed out. See the short video below for a demonstration of the BACCHUS Maneuver and how to place the person correctly.
  • NEVER put a backpack on someone who has passed out. They could roll over and suffocate or inhale vomit.
  • Even after passing out, alcohol in the stomach will continue to enter the bloodstream for several hours, causing BAC to rise, sometimes to dangerous levels.
  • Stay with the intoxicated person, monitoring them every 10 minutes for any of the PUBS signs of alcohol overdose.
  • If you see even one PUBS sign of alcohol overdose at any time, call 911 immediately.
  • If you or a sober friend cannot stay with the intoxicated person and monitor for PUBS signs every 10 minutes, or if you feel uncomfortable with that responsibility, call 911.
  • Still not sure if you should call 911? The National Poison Control Hotline (1-800-222-1222) provides free, confidential medical advice 24/7.
PUBs signs of alcohol overdose

Obtaining Medical Assistance

If the fear of legal consequences makes you hesitant to call 911, know that many states have Medical Amnesty laws that provide limited legal immunity for seeking help for yourself or someone else who is in need of immediate medical attention. Make yourself aware of your state's medical amnesty policy, as well as the policy on your campus.

  • Call 911 and identify yourself to the 911 operator. State your problem and what you feel you need.
  • Give the specific location of the incident and the phone number.
  • Stay with the intoxicated person until help arrives. Have someone else meet the emergency personnel outside and guide them to location.

Guidelines for helping someone who has not passed out:

  • Alcohol impacts judgment first, making it nearly impossible to reason with someone who is highly intoxicated.  
  • Stay calm and quiet and try to gently lead the intoxicated person to a safer environment. Get friends (especially those who are sober) to help. Avoid making confrontational or aggressive statements. 
  • Do not give the intoxicated person anything to drink or eat (food, coffee, water, etc.), which can induce vomiting and pose a choking hazard.
  • Do not give the intoxicated person a cold shower as the shock could cause them to pass out and be injured.
  • Do not try to exercise the intoxicated person, as they are more likely to fall and be injured.
  • If the intoxicated person becomes violent or uncooperative, your first priority is your own safety and the safety of those around you. Call for assistance, up to and including 911. 
  • An intoxicated person who is staggering, vomiting, or appears to be passing out may need emergency care.