NCJ Number
216043
Date Published
September 2008
Length
28 pages
Annotation
After examining the scope of the problem of alcohol abuse and other drug abuse on college campuses and why administrators, students, and parents should be concerned, this booklet briefly describes 19 award-winning programs designed to prevent alcohol and other drug abuse on the campuses of specific colleges and universities throughout the country.
Abstract
Recent studies confirm that college campuses continue to have significant alcohol and other drug-use problems. Although most college students are under the legal drinking age of 21, alcohol is the drug that causes most of the problems. The Harvard College Alcohol Study found that 44 percent of U.S. college students engaged in high-risk drinking, and approximately 23 percent did so frequently. Many colleges and universities have implemented programs that have effectively addressed alcohol and other drug use by their students. Measures adopted have included creating partnerships with local communities to stop the serving of alcohol to minors and intoxicated students, keeping the library and recreational facilities open longer, eliminating the alcohol industry's support for athletics programs, restricting alcohol promotions and advertising on campus and in campus publications, and monitoring fraternities to ensure compliance with alcohol policies and laws. Other measures implemented are the provision of alcohol-free social and recreational activities for students, the disciplining of repeat offenders, and the notification of the parents of students who engage in serious or repeated violations of alcohol and other drug policies. Campuses have also launched media campaigns to inform students about the amount of drinking that occurs on campus. The profile of each of the 19 model programs presented contains the program's background and features, as well as indications that the program has been effective.