Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Statistics On Substance Abuse At America's Colleges And Universities

The report called Wasting the Best and the Brightest of Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities, announced distressing public health crisis on college campuses across America. It has published its study on this, in 2005. This report showed the serious nature of the drug abuse problem at America’s colleges and universities and how it has increased.

It was found that in each month, nearly half (49.4 percent) of all full-time college students between ages 18-22 had the habit of drinking and of abuse prescription drugs and/or illegal drugs. In 2005, nearly one among four college students (22.9 percent or approximately 1.8 million) faced the medical criteria for substance abuse or dependence, which is almost triple the proportion (8.5 percent) in the general population.

In 2005, 69.0 percent or 5.4 million full-time college students are recorded for drinking, abusing controlled prescription drugs, using illicit drugs or smoking. Nearly one-half (45 percent or 2.3 million) of those who drink are also engaged in two or more other forms of substance use (illicit drug use, prescription drug abuse or smoking).

Students get attracted to prescription drugs to relieve stress, improve mood or enhance performance. For many students, their college environment encourages instead of restricting substance use and abuse. So, these statistics show that students in colleges are more influenced than non-college students. Proper steps need to be taken from school itself in order reduce student substance abusers.


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