Legacy Healing Center Blog

Many drugs are abused on college campuses and the facts behind the drug use are stunning.

College drug use is a nationwide topic due to the fact that college is usually the time when young adults begin to engage in the use of various substances.

This is usually the first time that young adults are living independently without direct oversight of parents. This is also a time when young adults begin to make decisions about their behavior and health as sort of a rite of passage.

Because of the inexperience and sometimes recklessness, drugs on college campuses is one of the most serious public health issues. This doesn’t go to say that college drug use is a new topic, it is a pattern that has been going on since the 1970’s and college-age students represent a large percentage of individuals using drugs in the country.

Here we’re going to discuss not only drugs on college campuses but also the most commonly abused drugs.

The Most Commonly Abused Drugs and Substances

When looking at statistics in regards to full-time college students from a study completed between 2011 and 2014 from SAMHSA, there were around 9 million full-time college students enrolled in campuses across the country.

Of these 9 million students, nearly 10 percent between the ages of 18-22 drank alcohol for the first time within a year.

On top of that, 6 percent of these students used illicit drugs for the first time in the last year. According to the study completed by SAMHSA, the following were findings in regards to college drug use:

• Over 2,000 students drank alcohol
• Over 1,000 used illicit drugs
• Over 1,000 used marijuana
• Over 600 used hallucinogens
• Over 500 used prescription pain relievers without a prescription
• Over 400 used cocaine
• Over 400 used stimulants
• Over 100 used inhalants
• Around 40 students used methamphetamine
• Around 20 used heroin

The findings are related to a national survey on drug use and health and these are just findings of the full-time college students.

On the other hand, there was an average of 2 million part-time college students surveyed and of that 2 million, around 240,000 of these students drank alcohol and around 190,000 used marijuana.

College Drug Use

The most commonly abused drugs are mainly alcohol and marijuana but as the years go on, other substances gain popularity. Here are a few interesting facts about drugs on college campuses.

1. Drug trends change because of shifts in public perception.

2. Drug trends change due to availability of certain substances.

3. Certain social groups have more pressures and expectation to try new substances such as fraternities and sororities as well as students with mental health concerns and athletes.

4. A large percentage of college students struggle with symptoms of alcohol abuse and abuse alcohol.

5. Many college students have been arrested for alcohol-related violations which can include being drunk in public as well as driving under the influence.

A great way to get ahead of any problems is by opening talking about possible problems with substance abuse. Students when they first go to college, their freshman year is a vulnerable time to experiment and if students are unaware of consequences, they may learn about them firsthand.

Parents and guardians can help educate their kids to be college students by talking about the dangers of binge drinking in college as well as possible consequences of drinking too much.

Parents can also teach their young adults how to be responsible in certain social situations keeping in mind their health and physical well-being. This means making sure they understand signs of alcohol overdose or other alcohol-related problems.

Parents should also reach out to their college-age students keeping communication open while they’re away as well as learning about what sort of alcohol prevention programs the school has.

If you or someone you know is need of drug treatment programs, please call 888-597-3547 to start the road to recovery.