• The increase for abuse of alcohol occurs during late teens/early
  twenties could easily point to the nature or nurture aspect. A
  combination of peer pressure and hormonal changes could both be a common cause for binge drinkers.
• Most binge drinking information presented to binge drinkers rarely states what causes binge drinking
• Information is typically one sided concerning the causes of binge drinking, relying to heavily on either the nature or nurture aspect and not compromising,
• the genetic make up of a binge drinker is rarely mentioned because of the stigma surrounding alcoholism being classified as a disease instead of learned behaviour
• combination therapy has been shown to be the most effective way to treat chronic binge drinkers.

Morning Edition, March 15, 2000 · Monica Brady of member station WBUR reports that binge drinking is still popular on college campuses despite efforts by college administrators to prevent it. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking is still the cheapest and most popular way of socializing on campus.

via www.avenuevine.com

Drinking Caused By Nurture
A poster highlighting the donts of raising children.

However, the poster, like many, neglects to mention that binge drinking may still occur even after all of these steps are taken, the poster merely tells parents to accept responsibility.

This seems to be the route many organizations have chosen to take.

This leads to confusion over options when those with certain genetic properties begin drinking even when their parents have followed guidelines recommended by many organizations. 

This article points out that many binge drinkers have a shortened dna strand that affects their serotonin levels. The strand is also associated with an increased risk of bipolar disorder and depression.

However not everyone that has depression binge drinks, and not all of those that binge drink have a shortened dna strand, which means the issue is not purely genetic.

via www.oas.samhsa.gov

graph shows perecentage of those that binge drink (5 or more drinks) at one time. the number increases sharply from ages 17 to 20 and surprising, the percentage decreases significantly for those over age 21, which is the legal age of consumption. 

via www.oas.samhsa.gov