NCJ Number
224119
Journal
Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2008 Pages: 445-466
Date Published
2008
Length
22 pages
Annotation
In developing a new approach for describing college students’ alcohol use patterns in order to provide more refined information on risk for other substance use, this study measured alcohol use by the typical number of drinks per drinking day during the past year.
Abstract
The study found that heavy drinkers (typically 10 or more drinks per drinking day in the past year) used a greater number of illicit drug during their past-year use than did moderate drinkers (typically 5 to 9 drinks per drinking day in the past years); and moderate drinkers apparently used a greater number of illicit drugs than did light drinkers (typically 1 to 4 drinks per drinking day in the past year). Moreover, both moderate and heavy drinkers apparently were more likely to engage in the nonmedical use of prescription analgesics and stimulants than they were to use the more traditional illicit substances. These results provide a strong indication that alcohol prevention and intervention programs on college campuses should encompass polypro use in heavy drinkers. A convenience sample of 520 undergraduate students were recruited from 3 large introductory-level classes at a large mid-Atlantic university. A self-report questionnaire was administered in class during the fall semester of 2004, yielding 462 competed questionnaires. The sample used for the analysis consisted of 411 students who had consumed alcohol at least once in their lives. The primary predictor variable was an alcohol-use pattern in which the student consumed 1 to 4 drinks per day (light drinkers, n=182); 5 to 9 drinks per day (moderate drinkers, n=173); or 10 or more drinks per day (heavy drinkers, n=56) on those days alcohol was consumed in the past year. Other drugs measured for use were tobacco, marijuana, prescription analgesics and/or stimulants, hallucinogens, ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamines. 4 tables and 39 references