NEW BILLS TARGET EXCESSIVE DRINKING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
Volume 28, Issue 488 April 2, 2007
Matthew Gever
Legislators are looking to crack down on excessive campus drinking, just as new statistics show that students are abusing substances at more dangerous levels.
A new report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) found what Joseph A. Califano, chair and president of CASA, called “an alarming public health crisis on America’s campuses.” For example:
- Each month, half of all full-time college students ages 18-22 binge drink (defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting), abuse prescription drugs and/or abuse illegal drugs.
- In 2005, almost one in four of these 1.8 million college students met the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence, almost triple the proportion (8.5 percent) in the general population.
The report suggests a number of steps that states can take to address the problem, including restricting alcohol retail density around campuses, raising alcohol taxes and prohibiting alcohol advertising on campus and at sporting events.
Some states are already tackling the issue in this year’s sessions.
In Massachusetts, Representative Frank Hynes introduced HB 1179, which would ban all alcohol from state campuses, even for students over 21. “A full ban is necessary in order to remove the immediate and proximate availability of alcohol,” said Representative Hynes. “The benefits are clear: an environment less prone to the ill effects of alcohol abuse and a greater ability to be fully engaged in pursuing academic and social activities.” Any student found to be physically or psychologically impaired due to alcohol consumption would be subject to expulsion, regardless of whether the drinking occurred on or off campus.
New York Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz recently introduced AB 5105, which would authorize the commissioner of education to restrict sales and advertisements of alcoholic beverages at sporting events involving state colleges and universities. The commissioner currently does not have this authorization to do this. “I think we are recognizing what a huge problem drinking is among college students,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.
Examples from Florida include SB 7056 and SB 1954, which would, among other things, require the Board of Education to annually report on the occurrence of drug and alcohol abuse on the state’s community colleges and universities. The bills also would require the board of trustees at each college and university to establish a plan for reducing and eliminating alcohol and drug abuse on campus.
Public Attitudes Blamed
The CASA report links substance abuse to a number of consequences, such as sexual assaults, campus violence, arrests, suicides and accidental deaths.
The authors place much of the blame on the public’s perception that excessive student drinking is normal. “College presidents are reluctant to take on issues they feel they cannot change and this growing public health crisis reflects today’s society, where students are socialized to consider substance abuse as a harmless rite of passage,” said Reverend Edward Malloy. Malloy was chair of the group that put the study together and is President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame. Because of this attitude, many administrators, parents, alumni and others involved in the university turn a blind eye toward student substance abuse or they minimize the extent of the problem, he said.
“By failing to become part of the solution, Pontius Pilate college presidents, deans, trustees and alumni—and parents—have become part of the problem,” said Califano.
© Copyright 2007, State Health Notes
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