It’s no surprise that alcohol is by far the most used and abused substance by college students. It’s also no surprise that college student drinking is excessive. The statistics are frightening. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:
- 58 percent of full-time college students (between the ages of 18 and 22) surveyed drank alcohol within the past month, compared to 48.2 percent of others in the same age group.
- 37.9 percent of college students reported binge drinking in the month prior to the survey, compared to 32.6 percent of others in the same age group.
- 12.5 percent of those in the same college student group reported heavy drinking in the month prior to the survey, compared to 8.5 percent of others in the same age group.
That’s a lot of alcohol consumption with a lot of negative consequences. For example:
- In 2005, over 1,800 college students (18-24 years of age) died of unintentional alcohol-related injuries, including motor-vehicle accidents, according to this National Institutes of Health-cited study.
- Another NIH-cited study reported that in one year nearly 700,000, or 12 percent, of college students (aged 18-24) were assaulted by another drinking student. And nearly 100,000, or 2%, of students in the same group were victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
- Additionally, this national survey found that binge drinkers (those consuming alcohol at least three times per week) were around six times more likely to perform poorly on a test and five times more likely to have missed a class, when compared to students who drank but never binged.
Long-Term Effects of Drinking in College
The long-term effects of alcohol use are numerous and serious. They include:
- Brain damage.
- Cancer of the mouth and throat.
- Gastritis and ulcers.
- Heart attack and heart-related diseases such as high blood pressure and stroke.
- Liver-related diseases such as cirrhosis.
- Malnutrition.
- Nerve damage.
- Sexual dysfunction.
The other major drug of choice of college students is marijuana. Here are a few facts and figures on college student marijuana use:
- According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “… students attending college are at a significantly higher risk of beginning to use marijuana than those not enrolled, underscoring the need for improved prevention efforts.”
- A recent study by the University of Michigan found that in 2015 the increased probability of past year marijuana use among college students, versus others, was 51%.
- Monitoring the Future, a national survey on drug use, reports that in 2016, marijuana use among college students was at its highest level in the last 30 years, with 39% of full-time students (aged 19 to 22) using in the past year, and 22% using in the last 30 days.
As with alcohol, marijuana use by college students can adversely affect academic performance. According to this National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) sponsored study, marijuana use, “… adversely affected college academic outcomes, both directly and indirectly through poorer class attendance.” Additionally, marijuana users face a higher risk of dropping out of school.
The Negative Health Effects of Marijuana Use in College
Marijuana use, both short-term and long-term, comes with a number of potential negative physical and mental health effects.
- Short-term: Impaired memory; impaired problem-solving and difficulty thinking; mood changes; fear and anxiety; coordination and movement problems; increased heart rate and risk of stroke; sexual dysfunction; delusions; hallucinations; psychosis.
- Long-term: Impaired brain development and brain damage; problems with learning and performing complex tasks.
Young adults, including college students, are among the biggest abusers of prescription medications. Students often fail to realize the dangers of prescription medications simply because they’re prescribed. But having a prescription doesn’t mean the drug can’t be abused. In fact, prescription medications are among the most abused substances out there. And many are highly dangerous. For example, as reported by the NIDA, in 2014 over 1,700 young adults died as a result of prescription drug (mainly opioid) overdoses – more than any other drugs, including heroin and cocaine combined.
Prescription medications most commonly abused by college students include:
Opioids
Unless you’ve been asleep for the last several years, you know that there’s a major epidemic of prescription opioid abuse going on throughout the country. Consider the following:
Common Opioids Abused in College
- Codeine (often in combination with acetaminophen, such as Tylenol with Codeine)
- Fentanyl (Duragesic, Fentora, etc.)
- Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco, Lortab, etc.)
- Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percodan Percocet, etc)
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo, etc.)
Prescription opioids are prescribed for – and are extremely effective in – relieving physical pain. They are also, however, highly addictive and have a high overdose potential. Short-term side effects include lethargy, paranoia, nausea, and respiratory depression. Long-term use can cause liver damage, respiratory depression resulting in brain damage due to hypoxia, and more. Injection of opioids may lead to serious heart and pulmonary problems, as well as dangerous chronic infections, such as HIV and hepatitis, due to the use of unsterile needles.
Stimulants
Stimulants are often prescribed to students and others to aid in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Unfortunately, they’re also commonly misused by college students to provide energy and focus for studying, as well as for purely recreational purposes (i.e., partying). Almost all stimulants seriously misused by college students are a form of amphetamine. Of particular note in this group is Adderall, which has increasingly become the stimulant of choice among students. One very popular non-amphetamine stimulant on campus is Ritilan.
All of these stimulants are highly addictive and can cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Side effects from use include nausea, weight loss, sleep disturbances and headaches. Excessive use may result in brain and other vital organ damage, high blood pressure, and psychosis.
Sedatives
Benzodiazipines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, etc.) are a class of drugs used primarily to treat anxiety. Students commonly use them as a way to relieve the stress and pressure of academic life. Benzos are highly addictive, and withdrawal can be extremely dangerous, even deadly. Individuals with a benzo addiction problem should never quit using cold turkey or attempt to detox without the help of highly-trained medical professionals.
Other drugs often abused by college students include, among others:
- Psychedelics (LSD, mushrooms, MDMA, etc.)
- Cocaine
- Steroids
- Heroin and other non-prescription opioids.
What are the most common substance abuse issues that you see coming into your office?
The most commonly abused substances on a college campus are pretty much the same as in the general population. Alcohol and marijuana are by far the most commonly used, followed by prescription medications like opioids and stimulant drugs.