Results from the 2012 CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey show that student drug use is low at North Dakota State University. The survey results also indicate that NDSU students who consume alcohol are experiencing fewer alcohol-related problems.
“Misuse of alcohol and other drugs can lead to serious problems for students, so the results of this survey are particularly encouraging,” said Prakash Mathew, vice president for student affairs at NDSU. “We are seeing fewer problems related to alcohol and drugs, which translates into a healthier campus and community overall.”
Survey results show a decrease in the percentage of students who used marijuana in the past 30 days from 11.4 percent in 2010 to 9.5 percent in 2012. Nationally, 18.1 percent of students reported using marijuana in the past 30 days. Fewer than 2 percent of NDSU students reported using any illegal drugs other than marijuana, including the non-medical use of prescription drugs, in the past 30 days.
The survey indicates alcohol use has remained consistent or increased slightly from 2010 to 2012, but students reported experiencing fewer problems with the law and academics.
Since 2005, students have reported lower rates of negative consequences in 16 of 19 categories. Most notably, students reported lower rates of:
- driving under the influence (45.8 percent in 2005, 24.1 percent in 2012)
- getting arrested for DUI/DWI (3.7 percent in 2005, 0.6 percent in 2012)
- missing a class (38.7 percent in 2005, 28.4 percent in 2012)
- having been in trouble with authorities (17.8 percent in 2005, 11.7 percent in 2012)
- performing poorly on a test or project (26.5 percent in 2005, 21.1 percent in 2012)
The survey also asked students about the role parental expectations play in their decisions on whether to use alcohol or other drugs. The majority of students said their parents’ expectations or rules about alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, 84 percent, 84.8 percent and 89.5 percent respectively, are an effective way to limit their consumption.
“The results of this survey are evidence of the strong commitment NDSU has to preventing the misuse of alcohol and other drugs,” said Gene Taylor, NDSU director of athletics and chair of the President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs. “The programs this council put in place have contributed to decreases in the negative consequences our students are experiencing as a result of drinking and other drug use. This is an encouraging finding, and we hope to continue our current efforts and work toward making additional progress in this area.”
The NDSU President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs will use the CORE data to measure progress on its strategic plan and determine future areas of focus for prevention efforts. Programs that have been implemented as a result of the strategic plan include extensive communication efforts with parents of NDSU students, more late-night programming on Saturday nights, required online alcohol education for all first-year students, the LIVE REAL mentor program and the student-designed Before One More campaign.
The CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey was developed to measure alcohol and other drug use among college students attending two- and four-year institutions nationwide. The survey has been administered to NDSU students every other year since 2001. All undergraduate students at NDSU had the opportunity to be included in the survey through a random sampling procedure, which included 781 students. Students were drawn from all ethnic backgrounds, academic colleges and classes.
For more information about the CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey or prevention efforts, visit www.ndsu.edu/alcoholinfo or contact Laura Oster-Aaland, director of orientation and student success, at 231-7750 or Laura.Oster-Aaland@ndsu.edu. You also may contact Erika Beseler Thompson, assistant director for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, at 231-5478 or Erika.Beseler@ndsu.edu.