Pubdate: Thu, 15 Mar 2007
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2007 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Justin Pope, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

REPORT HITS STUDENTS' USE OF ALCOHOL

Colleges Urged To Step Up And Combat Binge Drinking, Prescription Drug Abuse

Substance abuse on college campuses is nothing new, but a new report 
suggests it is taking a more extreme and dangerous form, with higher 
rates of frequent binge drinking and prescription drug abuse, and 
more negative consequences for students such as arrests and risky 
sexual behavior.

The comprehensive report ties together a range of recent research on 
college substance abuse, supplemented with some of its own new survey data.

The report, by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse 
at Columbia University, argues substance abuse isn't an inevitable 
rite of passage for young adults. Rather, it argues a particular 
culture of excessive consumption has flourished on college campuses 
and calls on educators to take bolder stands against students and 
alumni to combat it.

"If they make this a priority they can do something about it," said 
Joseph Califano, chairman and president of the center, who among 
other steps called on colleges and the NCAA to stop allowing alcohol 
advertising during high-profile events like the NCAA men's basketball 
tournament.

The report, being released today, relies largely on research that has 
already appeared in various forms, but assembles it to emphasize 
findings particular to college students.

Among the highlights:

The proportion of students who drink (about 68 percent) and binge 
drink (40 percent) has changed little since 1993. But there have been 
substantial increases in the number of students who binge drink 
frequently (take five drinks at a time, three or more times in two 
weeks), who drink 10 or more times a month, and who get drunk three 
or more times in a month.

Though still used by far fewer students than alcohol, hundreds of 
thousands more students are abusing prescription drugs including 
Ritalin, Adderall and OxyContin than during the early 1990s. The 
proportion of students using marijuana daily has more than doubled to 
about 4 percent.

Analyzing outside survey data, the center calculated 23 percent of 
college students meet the medical criteria for substance abuse or 
dependence. That's about triple the proportion in the general population.

Young adults in general have higher abuse rates, so a higher rate for 
college students is to be expected. But other research indicates that 
college students drink more than high school peers who don't go to 
college, said Henry Wechsler of the Harvard School of Public Health, 
who published similar findings in 2002.

College administrators often say they know campus substance abuse is 
a problem but say there is little they can do.

But the report's authors say it's a question of commitment.

"Things do work, it's just having the will and time and money to 
implement them," said Roger Vaughan, a Columbia biostatistician 
involved in the report. "People need to step up and realize this is 
not a rite of passage; this is not something we should tolerate. If 
it keeps going, we're going to destroy our best and brightest."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman