College and substance abuse
College and substance abuse is a significant concern that arises from the unique environment and pressures faced by students in higher education. As young adults experience newfound independence, they often encounter a culture that includes frequent parties and social gatherings, which can escalate substance use, particularly alcohol and marijuana. The stress of academic demands, feelings of loneliness, and the challenges of living away from home can lead some students to engage in alcohol and drug use as a coping mechanism, sometimes resulting in addiction.
Binge drinking is particularly prevalent, with studies indicating that nearly half of college students consume alcohol, and about 30% engage in binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks in one occasion. This behavior poses serious risks, including health complications, academic decline, and increased likelihood of negative social incidents, such as assaults. Marijuana use is also on the rise among college students, reflecting broader societal trends toward its acceptance, despite ongoing legal ambiguities.
Moreover, the misuse of prescription medications and other substances highlights the complex landscape of substance abuse within this demographic. Colleges are increasingly aware of these issues and often implement educational programs and policies aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing the prevalence of substance abuse, seeking to foster a supportive environment for all students.
College and substance abuse
DEFINITION: For many students, college brings a new level of personal freedom and experimentation with social situations. It can also generate considerable stress, loneliness, and other negative emotions. These factors combine to create a high potential for substance abuse. Many studies have shown that college students have higher rates of alcohol abuse and drug abuse and addiction than the general population. While substances of all kinds have a presence on college campuses, alcohol and marijuana are the most frequently used.
Background
Young adults who leave home to live at a college or university are presented with many new experiences, often including first-time exposure to major decision-making. One of the biggest challenges and decisions for college students (typically defined as those aged seventeen to twenty-five years) is how to deal with the alcohol and drug culture often prevalent on college campuses. Parties, Greek organizations such as fraternities and sororities, and bars and dance clubs may provide temptations to use alcohol and other substances, such as marijuana or other illicit drugs. Many students also reach the legal drinking age (twenty-one in the United States) while attending college. The atmosphere of experimentation and the complex social pressures at play can lead to the use—and often abuse—of many different substances.
While party culture and youthful excess are typically blamed for substance abuse at colleges and universities, other factors can also play a role. For some the stress and anxiety of performing to rigorous academic standards can lead to self-medication that becomes abuse or addiction. Others may struggle with loneliness, social isolation, or the challenges of living independently. Young adults at a crucial stage of self-development often face emotional turmoil, which regardless of specific form can combine with the often easy availability of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances to foster abuse.
Typical Substances of Abuse
Alcohol: Alcohol is by far the drug most abused by college students. Large numbers of violations of campus policies, and arrests on campus, involve alcohol intoxication. Of particular concern among administrators and health officials is heavy alcohol use known as binge drinking. Colleges typically define binge drinking as excessive consumption of alcohol in a relatively short period of time. While the definition of "excessive" varies across law enforcement and other agencies and organizations, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has said that imbibing at least five drinks on one occasion is binge drinking, while the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has considered binge drinking to mean consuming enough alcohol to bring blood alcohol levels to 0.08 grams of hemoglobin per deciliter (g/dL)—generally four to five drinks within two hours.
According to the NIAAA, in 2022, nearly half of all college students drank alcohol, and nearly 30 percent binge drank in the past month. Binge drinking is a significant problem, not only due to the direct health risks of alcohol poisoning, but also because of the other dangerous incidents it can incur. These include sexual and other forms of assault, driving under the influence, and exposure to environmental hazards such as falls, drowning, or hypothermia. Colleges and universities also face students causing property damage or otherwise violating campus policies. According to 2024 NIAAA estimates, alcohol contributes to over 1,500 student deaths each year, as well as nearly 700,000 assaults. The agency also found that a majority of sexual assaults on college campuses involve alcohol or other substances. Students who binge drink are also likely to see their academic performance deteriorate.
As with any abusive behavior, there are many reasons why students partake in binge drinking. One reason is students' tendency to experiment. Drinking, and binge drinking in particular, is also seen as a means to fit in. Some people binge drink as a way to deal with other social and emotional issues, such as stress, isolation, and loneliness. A particular group of students engages in binge drinking because it is, or may be, a part of the pledging process for Greek organizations or the initiation (hazing) of athletes. These behaviors still occur, even though they violate the charters and rules of Greek organizations, the codes for behavior for athletes, and the behavioral policies of colleges. Some students have died from these rituals. Some campuses have banned hard alcohol and pledging Greek organizations as a result, and there have been high-profile suspensions of entire sports teams.
Marijuana: After alcohol, marijuana (cannabis) is considered the substance most frequently abused by college students. A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics released in 2019 and based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that marijuana use among young adults in general grew steadily from 2002 to 2016, but saw the largest gains among college students. Almost two out of five people aged eighteen to twenty-two reported having used marijuana at least once in the past year as of 2016. Notably, this trend followed years of increasing public and legal acceptance of marijuana, although the drug remained illegal at the federal level. It also coincided with a steady decline in tobacco consumption among young adults.
Despite strong evidence that marijuana use was growing among college students, experts cautioned that data was often unclear due to the variety of consumption methods, including smoking, vaping, and eating. Controversy also surrounded the negative and positive health effects of marijuana use, making it difficult for experts to agree on guidelines for abuse of the substance.
Other Substances: When many people think of substance abuse, they typically think of hard drugs. However, commonly abused substances by college students include prescription drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin, Ritalin, Adderall, Ephedra, and anabolic steroids. These legal drugs are used to get high and, depending on the drug, to stay awake for studying, to enhance athletic ability, to lose weight, or to self-medicate for anxiety, depression, and related mental stresses. Common date rape drugs are GHB, ketamine, and Rohypnol. These drugs are often slipped into drinks or given to people who ingest them unknowingly and cause that person to become incapacitated. In this context, date rape drugs help facilitate sexual assault.
Students, like the majority of the general population, also often abuse caffeine in the form of coffee and caffeine-fortified drinks. Beginning around 2000, the consumer market for energy drinks increased dramatically. Energy drinks contain extraordinarily high amounts of caffeine (most between 50 and 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving) and were quickly embraced by college students as a way to stay awake. These drinks have raised short-term and long-term medical concerns.
College Officials' Response
Colleges and universities are generally acutely aware of substance abuse and how it affects both the individual and the college community. Because of their missions to educate, institutions across the United States often address substance abuse from the moment students first arrive on campus during orientation until they graduate.
Many colleges and universities develop alternatives to the bar and party scenes to promote the possibilities of recreation without using substances. Administrators also frequently review and revise policies about substance use and abuse, with a trend toward prevention of abuse and education rather than punishment (though judicial action is always possible). Specific information about the drug and alcohol policies of a particular college or university can often be obtained from that institution.
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