DRUGS BECOMING A LIFESTYLE FOR SOME STUDENTS AT OKLAHOMA STATE

Through the veil of smoke, college students since the 1960s have
tested the establishment by using illegal drugs. The mythos of a
thriving drug culture on American college campuses is constantly
referenced in films and media.

In the 1970s, it was Donald Sutherland smoking marijuana with his
students in "Animal House," and in 2002, it was a group of rowdy
fraternity members using drugs in "Sorority Boys."

"I would say that at least 80 percent of kids have tried some drug
while they're at school," said Mary Swartz, animal science junior at
Oklahoma State University. "It is just a part of life when you're in
college. There is always a group of people who are going to be using
something."

Many OSU students perceive drugs as a regular part of social
interaction on campus. The use of "recreational" drugs, especially
marijuana, is as accepted by students as drinking, according to "Drug
Use and Lifestyle Among College Undergraduates," an American Journal
of Psychiatry study.

Marijuana is by far the most common drug on the college scene,
followed by ecstasy, which has risen in popularity as a party drug in
the last 5 years, according to the Monitoring the Future Study.

In spite of the attention given to this particular aspect of the
college experience, research has found that drug use among students
has been steadily declining since the 1970s. Schools around the nation
are experiencing a drop in the use of illegal drugs.

The Monitoring the Future Study has conducted drug research polls
annually among college students for the past 24 years. It shows a
steady decline in the use of all major drugs, including marijuana and
cocaine, since 1980.

According to the Monitoring the Future Study, drug use peaked on
college campuses in 1980, with 65 percent of students admitting to
using drugs at least once a year. By the year 2000, only 46.1 percent
reported having used illegal drugs of any kind. Today drug users
represent a minority of the student population for the first time in
30 years.

There are serious consequences for students caught with drugs or
paraphernalia on the OSU campus.

The school can turn students over to the Payne County Police
Department and criminal charges can be filed against them, said OSU
Police Sgt. Mark Shearer.

The Student Conduct Office can also place sanctions against students
in violation of the OSU drug policy, Shearer said. These sanctions
usually include drug treatment and counseling, but can sometimes
extend to removal from campus housing.

The 1998 Higher Education Act states that students convicted of any
drug-related offense will be denied eligibility for all federal
financial aid. For many college students, this is a significant
financial consequence. But for most students, the idea of getting
caught is not at all frightening.

Shearer said he has had a number of experiences with drug cases while
working on campus

"Drug cases come in waves. Sometimes we will have several cases under
investigation, and sometimes none at all. It is a problem, but a
smaller problem than most people think," Shearer said.

Most of the drug arrests that occur on campus arise from traffic
stops, in which drug paraphernalia is clearly visible in the car, he
said.

Another major source of drug complaints occur in the Residence
Halls.

"A lot of people will get turned in by their RAs. If someone walks by
your room and smells something funny, they can report you," Swartz
said.

The presence of drugs on college campuses is not something that is
likely to change anytime soon. But Shearer said he hopes students will
be aware that actions in college can have a lifetime impact.

"I realize that a lot of people see using drugs as a part of the
college experience, but I sincerely hope that it is an experience that
kids won't want because of what it can do to their future," he said.