DRUGS, BOOZE IN COLLEGE ARE AT CRISIS LEVEL, REPORT
WARNS

College students are drinking more heavily than a decade ago because
of a rising "culture of consumption" fostered by youth-targeted
alcohol merchandising and bad examples set by older adults,
including beer-swilling alumni at athletic events, a national report
released Thursday says.

Forty-nine percent of full-time college students engage in regular
"binge" drinking -- slamming down five drinks at one sitting -- and
a growing portion of that group is doing it more frequently,
according to the report from the National Center on Addiction
and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.

Twenty-three percent of students meet the medical criteria for
substance abuse and dependence, the researchers estimate.

Students are also getting high on prescription and illegal drugs
more often, resulting in a major public-health crisis, said Susan
Foster, vice president and director of policy research and analysis
for the center.

"College presidents need to step up, parents have a large role to
play and students need to take more responsibility for their own
health," Foster said.

Coordinated action involving schools, families and the community is
key, experts say, because students are not on campus all year, and
parental contact is often limited when classes are in session.
Temptation to overindulge is constant, said Foster, citing the
pervasive influence of slick and sexy advertising for beer and other
alcoholic drinks.

The report draws on census data, the center's own surveys and
reports from other sources, much of it relating to full-time
students at four-year institutions across the country. Still, its
recommendations could apply to any college campus, Foster said.

Things that campuses can do to discourage substance abuse include
holding alcohol-free recreational events, screening students for
substance-abuse problems and banning alcohol from sporting events.

The University of Central Florida already does some of this through
its Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Programming office,
established in 2002 and one of the most comprehensive campus
programs of its kind, said Tom Hall, the office's director.

The office provides internships to six doctoral students in
psychology who provide counseling, which is in keeping with its
policy of providing opportunities for students to help one another, Hall said.

"Research indicates students are more likely to retain information
provided by peers," he said.

As for campus activities, the office, in cooperation with student
government, offers Late Knights, a monthly, alcohol-free night of
fun and games held in the Student Union and at other locations. The
event regularly draws 2,000 to 2,500 students and demonstrates "you
can have fun without being under the influence of some substance,"
said Mark White, student-body president and a senior majoring in
mechanical engineering.

Most events produced by students are alcohol-free, running counter
to stereotypes in college-themed movies, he said.

Late Knights is especially popular among first- and second-year
students. Hall said new students and those involved in Greek
organizations are a priority for substance-abuse-prevention efforts
because they have been the groups at highest risk historically.

Efforts to de-emphasize drinking also extend to tailgate parties
outside home football games. UCF banned beer funnels and increased
alcohol-free activities after the accidental shooting in 2005 of a
plainclothes police officer looking for underage drinkers.

Foster said educating students about the consequences of drug and
alcohol abuse before they even get to college should become a higher priority.

UCF, for one, offers an online course that incoming students take
one month before arriving at campus. The course includes a 45-day
follow-up to gauge the program's effectiveness. AlcoholEdu for
College focuses on alcohol's effect on the body and mind.

The role parents play, meanwhile, can be difficult to manage,
because research shows many parents are uncomfortable discussing
drugs and alcohol with their children. Hall said it's important for
parents to overcome their reluctance and be clear about
their expectations for behavior and school performance.

The center's report cites data that spotty class attendance and
falling grades are key indicators of student drug and alcohol abuse.