In the movie Temptation, sparks fly as tough lessons taught

Minimizing college students’ drug & alcohol use is a three headed monster

By: Ethan J. Brisby

According to the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 97.5 million Americans aged 12 or older tried marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, representing 40.1% of the U.S. population in that age group. This statistic shows that “smoking weed” is not a college epidemic, but instead a national dilemma. With respect to this article however, we will examine some of the methods that could be implemented at college campuses around the country to detour students from entertaining drug and alcohol use while earning a degree.

There are many reasons why drug use on college campuses can prove to be more of a burden than late night hype. For starters, excessive drug and alcohol use puts women at risk. According to a 1999 Harvard School of Public Health article, 1 out of 5 college age women say they have experienced an unwanted sexual advance where drug or alcohol use was involved.

Another reason to detour students from drug and alcohol use is the immanent threat of law interaction which may lead to a vaunted criminal record that will follow the students post graduation. We all know criminal records can alter any career plans you may have.

Finally, it is important to implement a budget as a college student likely living off a little more than a minimum wage salary. A typical weekend of drinking could end up costing a student upwards of $50, and when you add in the cost to buy drugs this gravely dampens any resemblance of a budget. At a time when responsibility and accountability are becoming a more important characteristic in these young adult’s lives, money management is an area a little guidance can be used.

Parents unknowingly are usually the ones funding dime sacks of weed and six packs of Bud. Therefore, it is important for college administrators to keep the parents of college students involved in any effort to lessen the use of drugs and alcohol. That brings us to the question, “How do we reduce drug and alcohol use on college campuses?”

Here at Texas A&M, there is 10-15 bars located walking distance from campus. This is as much of an anomaly as Coach Fran teaching a Coaching 101 clinic. It just should not be. TAMU should consider action to reduce the number of bars available to its students. Back on the school front, it should also be a requirement for each student to be actively involved in at least one campus organization, and promote social events where alcohol is not an option. A third policy suggestion that would detour students from excessive drinking and minimize drug use is the implementation of random student drug testing.

Fact of the matter is, college age kids use drugs and drink alcohol to belong to a specific group and look cool, satisfy curiosity, and forget their troubles in an effort to relax. These citizens who likely have only voted in one presidential election have been crying out for help with their behavior tendencies for years. It is past time that parents step up to the plate, university administrators raise expectations, and most importantly the students themselves recognize that their future is at stake and it’s the only future they have.