Drug Abuse in Colleges

Introduction

The college aged population comprises of the highest number of the youthful generation who are in the stage of experimentation and rebellion. According to research, the use of drugs and substance abuse is not a new phenomenon among this group of people. It may be triggered by a myriad of things including prescribed drug overdose or consumption of spiked soft drinks without ones consent. Youths especially the college aged students those between the ages of 18 to 25 years are prone to abusing prescription drugs and their progress to hard drugs such as Marijuana is very high. The number of college aged students reported to be abusing prescription drugs as well as using marijuana has been rising in the recent past posing a real danger to the wellbeing of the future generation (Johnston et al, 2011). Studies have shown that, the rate of substance abuse or dependence among the college aged population is at least 3 times that of the general population making the issue really bad.

There are all kinds of prescription drugs that are usually abused by students in their endeavor to pass their exams and get better grades that would allow them to pursue their dream career. The kind of peer influence that is exacted to college students by their colleagues and the euphoria of being in college is believed to be the catalyst to most of the cases related to drug abuse. Youths develop a natural anxiety brought about by being in college and tend to turn to drugs especially alcohol which they find making socialization easy. Sometimes students just drink to have fun and create social groups, this routine drinking leads to addiction and before they know it they are deep into substance abuse. This paper will be categorical on the effects of drug abuse in college aged population, why this age group abuse drugs and what should be done to tame the menace will also be fully addressed.

Drugs commonly abused by College students

College provides young adults a long period of time away from the prying eyes of their parents. The amount of freedom they get may sometimes be overwhelming and they can take it too far while trying to fit in and prove a point to others. It has been found out that, the frequency of partying and use of illegal drugs while at it by college aged population has always been high. Sometimes, college administration overlooks what happens among the student population and assumes binge drinks as being part of the rights of passage (Blanco et al, 2008). Among the drugs that are abused by college aged population, alcohol tops the list as being the mostly abused. Statistics conducted by the National institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have shown that out of five college students picked randomly, four of them admit to drink alcohol. This is quite common among the population and might not seem alarming, but bearing in mind almost three quarter of the said population are below the legalized drinking age makes it a serious issue. Alcohol becomes the number one choice substance to abuse due to being easily accessible since those students who are 21 can buy legally and distribute to those who are below the drinking age. Alcohol is mostly used by the college aged population as a way of having fun mostly in response to peer pressure and the attempt to fit in. Some use alcohol to relieve stress related to academic performance, exams and relationships since this is the time they are extremely active sexually.

Apart from alcohol, Marijuana is another commonly abused drug among this population, as a matter of fact 47 per cent of students admit to have used or tried it once. Many states have made a step to legalize Marijuana for medical purposes while others for recreational use. Due to the publicity in the media and in the movie industry many decide to experiment and find out by themselves. Marijuana users claim it is not harmful and it has medicinal properties but 9 per cent of the users actually become addicted.

College aged population also use other stimulants and illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin and Ecstasy among others. Although these drugs are not as a bused as Marijuana and alcohol, Ecstasy is very common in most of the popular clubs frequented by the student population. Due to its hallucinogenic properties and ability to stimulate, about 12.7 per cent of youths admit to have used it at least once. Ecstasy is mostly use to increase pleasure hence used for sexual stimulation as part of experimentation by the youths. Some of the drugs abused by college aged population are prescription drugs that can be bought over the counter or through a valid prescription. It has been found that, those with a valid prescription for ADHD have been giving it to those who do not have for use just to have a feeling of ecstasy, release stress or even concentrate (Wilens et al, 2008). There have been reports by CDC that indicate, about 100 people in the United States die daily due to drug overdose of prescription drugs as well as Over the Counter (OTC). There are many drugs containing dextromethorphan (DXM) a substance together with antihistamine causes a feeling of out of body that students may want to experiment with. These drugs can be purchased online making them extremely accessible hence commonly abused.

Effects of Drug abuse on College aged students

Alcohol

Studies have shown that the most commonly abused drug among this population is alcohol for the reasons that it is cheap and easily accessible. Nearly half of the student population drink alcohol and quite a huge percentage of that population drink excessively. There are many negative effects of abusing alcohol especially for college students since most of them are still under the legal age permitted by law to take alcohol. Alcoholism is known to cause some of the major health concerns as well as immediate tragedies like one becoming abusive, aggressive and violent. There are quite a number of cases reported on a daily basis of alcohol related deaths due to unintentional injuries; some of these cases are as a result of assault by a student who has been drinking. Alcohol has the capacity to change the way people think and disrupt judgment which pose a real danger since many go on to drive causing fatal road accidents that results to death or permanent disability. Sexual assault has been on the rise among this age group and a huge percentage of these cases are related to alcohol abuse. Nearly 97,000 college aged population have reported to have experienced sexual assault related to alcohol (Dargan, Albert & Wood 2010). Some unsuspecting students find themselves in compromising position after attending parties and served with spiked drinks. Frequent binge drinking can cause fatal damages to the liver and other vital body organs.

Alcoholism has been one of the reasons why 1 out of 4 college students miss their exams, fall behind in their classes, or record a bad performance in their end term papers. Those college students who are frequent consumers of binge drinks are usually 6 times more likely to record poor performance compared to those who do not. When drinking becomes part and parcel of a student life in college their academic performance which is the core mandate of being in college is greatly affected and this in turn affects their relationship with parents and teachers.  A bright student may be forced to drop out of college due to over indulgence in alcohol and use of binged drinks affecting his or her future in a big way.  One can easily develop alcohol use disorder that can be quite problematic since it is difficult to treat and it is a predisposing factor for other more complex health issues especially for a young person (Wilens et al, 2008). Research has shown that about 20 per cent of college students in the US can be considered to be suffering from alcohol use disorder number that is quite alarming considering that they are just in their prime age. Consumption of alcohol with other energy drinks creates a myriad of problems which include unprotected sex, infections, involvement with the police and suicide attempts.

Marijuana & Cocaine

The use of Marijuana has more than doubled in the student fraternity in the recent past among college students and this has increased financial constraints among students leading to antisocial behaviors including theft. Medical marijuana is prescribed to over a million patients in the US and students get themselves in contact with it easily since they are the ones administering the drugs. Marijuana has the ability to lower life satisfaction, impair the thought process and ability to perform complex tasks. College aged population who use drugs especially cocaine and marijuana need a lot of money to ensure a constant supply of these drugs which are expensive. It is very likely for this group of student to start criminal behaviors and join gangs in order to ensure they get a steady supply of the drugs to satisfy their appetite.  There are very high chances of these individuals performing extremely poorly and dropping out of school due to lack of concentration and declined IQ that is caused by use of Marijuana over a period of time (Hingson, Zha & Weitzman 2009).

Members of the male fraternity have a higher risk of developing sexual problems such as decreased sperm production which is a real problem especially to those who are just developing; they might also experience stroke and other heart complications. The increased heart rate is caused by inhalation of THC, a chemical that is found in Marijuana. Students may also experience dry mouth and their eyes may be shot of blood. They also experience difficulty in coordinating, damaged immune system and pot can also disrupt the menstrual cycle on members of the female fraternity. A great personality change is observed on young people who indulge in Marijuana and other drugs, it interrupts listening, class work and other positive social relationship. College students who are into it cannot be able to retain new information and understand new ideas and this leads to psychological problems that require time to treat, time that would otherwise be used in constructive class work. Cocaine and heroin are not as highly abused since they prove to be too expensive and highly addictive. However, college population find themselves using it due to peer pressure and the need to fit in. These youths find themselves entranced in gangs and criminal activities such as peddling illegal substance and end up facing jail term instead of graduating from college (Hingson, Zha & Weitzman 2009).

Over the Counter drugs (OTC)

The abuse of cold medicine by college students is also rampant since they do not need a prescription to purchase. It is also inexpensive and a student can drink an entire bottle to get high without being suspected of being intoxicated. The drugs have the ability to initiate hallucination and alter judgment and this could cause fatal accidents in the laboratory. Addiction to over the counter drugs that are abused could lead to blurry vision, dizziness, paranoia, seizures and even brain damage.

Prescription drugs

Prescription drugs may be FDA approved but if not taken as the physician directs then they are likely to cause a great risk. Abuse and misuse of prescription drugs has been on the rise and especially where those who have legally prescribed supply the same to those who do not. The drugs are capable of jeopardizing a person’s future as well as starting long-term health complications. Prescription medications especially to those who do not need medication are capable of increasing blood pressure and heart rate and this might lead to heart attack. Prescription drugs are highly dangerous if used inappropriately, it can be linked to other unhealthy behaviors that can make college students develop addiction that could lead to organ damage.

Adderall is used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADHD), and it has been linked with alcohol users due to the misuse by college students. Binge drinkers are the ones who commonly use Adderall in order to be more hyperactive. The percentage of those who use it medically and abuse it is a bit less as compared to those who use it non-medically. Prescription tranquilizers and pain relievers are five times more likely to be abused. The abuse of these drugs is likely to cause anxiety, panic attacks and sleepless disorders to college students. They might also experience withdrawal seizures as well as respiratory depression, slow and shallow breathing. Valium, Klonopin and Xanax are sedatives used to calm patients with anxiety and panic attack and when abused or used by people not intended to may affect the brain cells and attack the central nervous system (Johnston, 2010).

Other problems

Youths especially in colleges might not be able to understand the grave danger they might be in because of drug abuse due to their naivety and pressure to fit in groups. Drug abuse is responsible for some of the very dangerous emotional problems such as major depression, suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. Statistics show that, of all college aged population experiencing depression, 34.6 per cent report to have been abusing drugs. Drugs affect both short term and long term memory making it extremely hard for these college students to perform in their academics. They are also likely to develop blood borne diseases like hepatitis B, C and HIV AIDS due to increased risky sexual behaviors. Drugs abuse can result in very serious mental disorders due to brain damage and this may in tern affect the central nervous system (CNS) (Kaloyanides et al, 2007). College students are still young and their brain cells are still vulnerable, those who abuse drugs are likely to have shrunken brain cells which might result in amnesia and severe learning disorders.

Ways of preventing drug abuse

Youths especially those in colleges should be very careful with the kind of friends they are hooking up with especially in their first year in college. Since drug abuse has become a serious health problem strategies have to be put in place to ensure that the youths do not find themselves in situations they cannot be able to come out of. Prevention goes a long away in saving the youths education, preventing financial constraints that will be brought about by treatment and many other benefits in terms of career development. Education is an important component when it comes to the prevention of drug abuse (Johnston et al, 2011). Colleges should be having programs that ensure freshmen in college get the necessary guidance and training they deserve about drugs. Parents should instill values and become more open with their college aged sons and daughters about sexuality and drugs.

Enforcement of the law on legal drinking age will go a long way in reducing underage alcohol drinkers and ensure that those who have reached the legal age do not supply alcohol to their colleagues below the legal age in colleges. The college administration should work hand in hand with law enforcement agency and retailers to ensure the amount of alcohol in supply to colleges is cut down. Proximity of bars and liquor stores to leaning institutions and from each other should be re checked and be limited in order to curb the menace of drug abuse. Those found culpable of supplying hard drugs to youths should be dealt with without mercy and drug cartels should be squashed so as to cut drug supply (Johnston, 2010). Youths who are already addicted to drugs should be rehabilitated and be given a second chance to pursue their studies. It will be imperative for school administration to accept those who have healed from drug addiction since they can volunteer to teach others about the dangers of abusing drugs. The guidance and counseling department should be strengthened in learning institutions to ensure students have adequate knowledge of the effects of drugs and drug abuse.

Conclusion

Drug abuse among college aged students is very evident and extremely wide spread among learning institutions. College students have been known to have abnormal freedom since it is usually their first time to experience life outside a way from their parents. Many have found themselves being introduced to drugs by their friends through campus parties and social events organized in student hostels. Others have had to drop out of college and join criminal gangs in order to keep on having a constant supply of drugs while making quick dirty money through drug peddling. It is important for parents to ensure their sons and daughters are well aware of the dangers of drug abuse and learn ways of staying drug free during their life in college. Colleges should also put down mechanism to avoid students from abusing their newly found freedom through drug abuse since it also reflects badly when it comes to the image of the institution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Blanco, C., Okuda, M., Wright, C., Hasin, D. S., Grant, B. F., Liu, S. M., & Olfson, M. (2008). Mental health of college students and their non–college-attending peers: results from the national epidemiologic study on alcohol and related conditions. Archives of general psychiatry, 65(12), 1429-1437.

Dargan, P. I., Albert, S., & Wood, D. M. (2010). Mephedrone use and associated adverse effects in school and college/university students before the UK legislation change. QJM, 103(11), 875-879.

Hingson, R. W., Zha, W., & Weitzman, E. R. (2009). Magnitude of and trends in alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among US college students ages 18-24, 1998-2005. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Supplement, (16), 12-20.

Johnston, L. D. (2010). Monitoring the future: National survey results on drug use, 1975-2008: Volume II: College students and adults ages 19-50. DIANe Publishing.

Johnston, L. D., O’malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2011). Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2010. Volume II, College Students & Adults Ages 19-50. Institute for Social Research.

Kaloyanides, K. B., McCabe, S. E., Cranford, J. A., & Teter, C. J. (2007). Prevalence of illicit use and abuse of prescription stimulants, alcohol, and other drugs among college students: relationship with age at initiation of prescription stimulants. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy, 27(5), 666-674.

Wilens, T. E., Adler, L. A., Adams, J., Sgambati, S., Rotrosen, J., Sawtelle, R., … & Fusillo, S. (2008). Misuse and diversion of stimulants prescribed for ADHD: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(1), 21-31.

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