College parties expose students to addictive substances

The popularity of drugs and other addictive substances at college parties and other gatherings makes refusing drugs especially difficult for students.

In fact, according to a 2016 Monitoring the Future survey of college students and other college-age young adults, binge-drinking and intoxication levels are higher among college students than among non-college peers, with 40.8 percent of college students having been previously intoxicated in the same month as the survey and only 30.4 percent of their peers who are not in school having been intoxicated in the same period of time.

Peer pressure and personal curiosity both play large roles in substance abuse among college students. The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens recommends that students use their familial or extracurricular responsibilities, such as maintaining health for athletics or staying sober for a family reunion the next day, as excuses when confronting an offer to take drugs at a party.

Other recommended refusal skills include staying occupied with a safe drink, such as juice or soda, or simply saying “no thanks.” While the latter option can be difficult for students in a social environment with friends and peers, professionals encourage students to stay confident and refuse harmful substances. Oftentimes, finding reliable friends to attend parties with is the first step to staying safe from drugs and alcohol.

“I would say if people are going to parties, they should go with a group in general and they should stick with that group because otherwise if you’re only with one person, then if that person gets intoxicated in any way, then you’re kind of left on your own, which isn’t good,” freshman at UC Irvine Hazal Gurcan (‘17) said. “So just go in a group, have people who are designated to keep other people safe, and make sure you take care of yourself.”

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on May 7, 2018.