To your health

Monday, April 27, 1998

To your health

HEALTH: Students should be aware of options available to help
them cope with substance abuse issues

By Albert Carnesale

The recent hospitalization of three UCLA fraternity pledges
provided a startling reminder of just how vulnerable students are
to threats to their health and well-being. The vigor and robustness
of youth can go only so far to protect students from the dangers
inherent in reckless behavior.

The harmful effects of substance abuse are well-known, yet the
problem remains a serious one. It touches each of us on campus,
either directly or indirectly. The impaired academic performance,
health problems, difficulties in personal and work relationships,
and decreased productivity which result from substance abuse
undermine the quality of life on our campus and beyond. And some
lives are lost. The tragic effects of excessive drinking are sadly
illustrated every year by deaths on college campuses
nationwide.

Unfortunately, drinking is not an isolated problem: national
statistics show that almost half of all college students engage in
binge drinking – and one in three students drink to become
intoxicated, not for social reasons.

No campus is immune to the risks associated with substance
abuse, but I am proud to say that UCLA’s students are fighting
against the national epidemic. UCLA’s ongoing program of education
in this area has yielded gratifying results: the vast majority of
UCLA students abstain from illicit drug use, and most students
report either no or low-risk use of alcohol.

At UCLA, incidents of binge drinking occur less frequently than
on most other campuses. More than one-third of our undergraduates
indicate that they do not drink at all, and an even higher
proportion of our graduate students abstain from alcohol. It comes
as no surprise that these students perform better academically,
have happier relationships and are healthier than the smaller group
of students who report that they binge drink or use illicit
substances.

Students often express disbelief when they hear good news about
reduced substance abuse on campus. When asked to characterize their
classmates’ behavior in this regard, students consistently
overestimate alcohol and drug use among their peers. Perhaps this
is because the disruptive conduct of a small number of heavy users
tends to overshadow the responsible behavior of the majority who do
not use alcohol or other drugs in ways that hurt themselves or
others.

For those students who do have a problem with alcohol or drugs,
I want you to know that there is help for you here. UCLA offers a
range of programs and services to prevent substance abuse and to
assist those with dependency problems. The Arthur Ashe Student
Health and Wellness Center (310-825-6385), in collaboration with
other Student Affairs departments and student groups, sponsors a
variety of prevention programs. Student Psychological Services
(310-825-0768) provides individual and group support services to
students experiencing problems associated with substance use. All
of these services are strictly confidential.

I encourage all members of the campus community who feel that
they may have a problem, or who are interested in learning more
about prevention, to seek help. I urge you to take advantage of
valuable resources available to you at UCLA. Our ability to teach
and to learn requires an engaged student body and a healthy campus
community. And our commitment to excellence demands a high level of
personal responsibility to maintain a safe and sober campus. Please
accept this responsibility and take care of yourself and your
classmates at UCLA.