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Phone: 240-895-4911
Fax: 240-895-4438
Substance Abuse
Drug and Alcohol Awareness
In 1995, 1996, and 1997, surveys were conducted on College students who were enrolled full-time in a 2-4 year college to find out their reported drug and alcohol use. These were the results from those surveys, which took place in March of the listed year.(1)
The exact question asked was, "On how many occasions, if any, have you used ... during the last 12 months?"(1)
1997: Of the 1,480 students surveyed, 31.6% had used marijuana, and 82.4% had consumed an alcoholic drink (defined as more than a few sips).(1)
1998: Of the 1,440 students surveyed, 35.9% had used marijuana, and 84.6% had consumed an alcoholic drink (defined as more than a few sips).(1)
1999: Of the 1,440 students surveyed, 35.2% had used marijuana, and 83.6% had consumed an alcoholic drink (defined as more than a few sips).(1)
Statistics also show that out of 42,013 motor vehicle fatalities in 1997, 38.6% involved alcohol. In 1998 there were 41,471 fatalities with 38.0% involving alcohol.(2) As you can see, one-third of the fatalities in one year involve alcohol.
Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol dependence, a.k.a. alcoholism, is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law. It includes four symptoms:(3)
- Craving - a strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
- Impaired control - the inability to limit one's drinking on any given occasion.
- Tolerance- the need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to feel its effects.
- Physical dependence - withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.
There are certain groups of people more likely to develop alcohol problems then others. Nearly one in every 13 adults abuses alcohol or is alcoholic. However, more men than women are alcohol dependent or experience alcohol-related problems. In addition, rates of alcohol problems are highest among young adults aged 18-29 and lowest among adults 65 years and older. Among major U.S. ethnic groups, rates of alcoholism and alcohol-related problems vary.(3)
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is defined as "the consumption of five or more drinks in a row on at least one occasion." In national surveys about a third of high school seniors and 42% of college students reported at least one occasion of binge drinking within the previous two weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the four leading injury-related causes of death among youths under the age of 20 are motor vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides, and drowning. Alcohol is involved in many of these deaths.(3)
As young people enter the culture of the college campus, they are confronted with many challenges and opportunities: the opportunity to be independent of parental control; the need to conform; and the insecurity of a new social setting. Forty-one percent of college students engage in binge drinking, as compared to thirty-four percent of their non-college counterparts.(3)
Safe Level of Drinking
The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, or NCADI, suggests that most adults can drink moderate amounts of alcohol, up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people, and avoid an alcohol-related problem. (One drink = one 12 oz bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5 oz glass of wine, or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits.)
There are certain people who should not drink at all. This includes women who are pregnant, people who plan to drive or engage in other activities that require alertness and skill, people taking certain medications (including certain over-the-counter medications), recovering alcoholics, and people under the age of 21.
The NCADI also suggests that women become more intoxicated than men after drinking the same amount of alcohol, even when differences in body weight are taken into account. This is known to be true because women have less body water then men. Alcohol mixes with body water and causes the alcohol to become more highly concentrated in a woman's body than in a man's. That is why the recommended drinking limit for women is lower than for men. Chronic alcohol abuse takes a heavier physical toll on women than on men. Alcohol dependence and related medical problems, such as brain and liver damage, progress more rapidly in women than in men.
Short-term effects of alcohol use include the following:(3)
- distorted vision, hearing, and coordination
- altered perceptions and emotions
- impaired judgment
- bad breath; hangovers
Long-term effects of heavy alcohol use include the following:(3)
- loss of appetite
- vitamin deficiencies
- stomach ailments
- skin problems
- sexual impotence
- liver damage
- damage to the heart and central nervous system
- memory loss
Identifying an Alcohol Problem
Below is a list of questions, developed by Dr. John Ewing, that you can ask yourself:
- Have you ever felt like you should cut down on your drinking?
- Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
- Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
- Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
One "yes" answer suggests a possible alcohol problem. More than one "yes" answer means it is highly likely that a problem exists. If you think that you or someone you know might have an alcohol problem, it is important to see a doctor or other health care provider right away. He or she can determine whether a drinking problem exists and, if so, suggest the best course of action.(3)
Fact on Marijuana
The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, or NCADI, states that after alcohol, tobacco and marijuana are the most frequently used drugs on campus. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs have been linked to negative consequences that hurt students and jeopardize their futures.
At both two- and four-year colleges, the heaviest drinkers end up with the lowest grades.
Almost one-third of the students at four-year colleges report missing class due to alcohol or other drug use.
Nearly one-quarter of students report performing poorly on a test or project due to alcohol or other drug use.
These alcohol and drug-related incidents are costly, both in terms of dollars and human potential. The NCADI cites an example: each year, members of sororities and fraternities spend roughly $200 million more on alcohol than do all other students combined. That's enough to cover the tuition, room, and board for tens of thousands. Student expenditures for alcohol far exceed the operating costs for running college libraries.
Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and tends to be the first illegal drug teens use. The physical effects of marijuana use, particularly on developing adolescents, can be acute.
Short-term effects of using marijuana:
- sleepiness
- difficulty keeping track of time; impaired or reduced short-term memory
- reduced ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination
- increased heart rate
- potential cardiac dangers for those with preexisting heart disease
- bloodshot eyes
- dry mouth and throat
- decreased social inhibitions
- paranoia, hallucinations
Long-term effects of using marijuana:
- enhanced cancer risk
- decrease in testosterone levels for men; also lower sperm counts and difficulty having children
- increase in testosterone levels for women; also increased risk of infertility
- diminished or extinguished sexual pleasure
- psychological dependence requiring more of the drug to get the same effect
Marijuana blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination. A recent study of 1,023 trauma patients admitted to a shock trauma unit found that one-third had marijuana in their blood.
How to Get Help
There are numerous national, state, and local organizations, treatment centers, referral centers, and hotlines that you can seek help from throughout the country. You can choose from several different kinds of treatment centers, varying from outpatient counseling to inpatient programs lasting three to five weeks.
Making that first step is always the hardest. That's why you need to know that there are structured services with individual, group, and family therapy for people with alcohol and drug abuse problems. Some people will go through treatment several times before succeeding. Never give up hope.
Check the following in your local phone book to see what is listed for your area:
- Community Drug Hotlines
- Local Emergency Health Clinics, or Community Treatment Services
- Local Health Departments
- Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or Al-Anon/Alateen
- Hospitals
- Your School's Health Services Office
Another source is the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment @ 1-800-662-HELP. This center can give you information about treatment programs in your local area and you can also speak to someone about an alcohol problem.
Other Important Numbers
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) @ 1-212-870-3400 (always check your local directory for an agency close to you).
For meetings of Al-Anon (for spouses and other adults involved in an alcoholic's life) and Alateen (for children of alcoholics), call the local listing for Al-Anon in your phone directory, or call 1-800-344-2666 (U.S.) or 1-800-443-4525 (Canada).
Information and Statistical Resources
(1) Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 1997, Source: Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, and Jerald G. Bachman, National Survey Results on Drug Use from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1997, Vol. 2, College Students and Young Adults, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Drug Abuse (Washington, DC: USGPO, forthcoming).
(2) Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics 1997, Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts 1996 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1997), p. 32.
(3) National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.
