DRUG STUDY - AVENUES EXIST BESIDES THE DRUG CULTURE

A recent study brought some very disturbing information to light:
Almost half of college students nationwide, about 3.8 million people,
binge drink or abuse substances.

Why is this fact so disturbing? Just take a look through the
Collegian archives. Search for the word "drugs" and you come up with
many stories about drug abuse that has affected many people. Someone
wound up dead from the Andrew Rogers incident -- they were doing
cocaine that day.

On April 17 a student was arrested for possessing $15,000 worth of
marijuana -- about three pounds.

So this study's findings really aren't that surprising when you think
about it. How many times have you been at a party where someone was
smoking marijuana? Plenty of students use Adderall to stay up all
night to study for big tests.

Drugs are all around us, and it's true that many students use college
as a time for experimentation, whether it's with drugs or alcohol.
It's important to look at the definition of binge drinking and drug
abuse that the study refers to.

Binge drinking is generally defined as five drinks for men, and four
for women, during one occasion. An occasion might be a frat party or
a night out at the bar. So, according to this definition, probably a
majority of Penn State students have experienced binge drinking, many
of them every weekend.

Drug abuse widely can be applied to anyone who has ever experimented
with any sort of mind-altering drug. This means anyone who has every
tried smoking a joint can be defined as abusing drugs.

But it is important to note that while the numbers may be inflated,
it still is important to be responsible when it comes to abusing
substances. Penn State offers a variety of activities on the weekends
for those who may not want to participate in the Penn State party
scene.

Penn State also offers students counseling and help through
University Health Services. Fraternities are also getting in on the
action with the Training for Intervention Procedures, which is an
enrichment program to help chapters learn about serving alcohol and
intervening when someone is in need of it.

One can see a variety of avenues available for anyone who thinks they
are in danger of becoming a drug or alcohol abuser. It is also
important for friends to keep any eye on each other and offer help
and guidance when needed.