Description

This article is from the U.C. Davis FAQ, by David F. Prenatt, Jr. netesq@dcn.davis.ca.us with numerous contributions by others.

5.3.3) Recreational use of alcohol and drugs. (U.C. Davis)

As part of its Health Education Program, Cowell Student Health Center
administers the Campus Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program
(CADAPP), which is comprised of at least two parts: Peer Counselors
in Athletics and Student Educators in Substance Abuse Prevention
(SESAP). For more information, contact CADAPP at (916)752-6334 or
SESAP at (916)752-DRUG. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE
PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, LIKE ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS FAQ,
CONSISTS ENTIRELY OF MY OWN OPINIONS AND IS NOT ENDORSED OR APPROVED
BY ANYONE ELSE. FURTHERMORE, I ASSUME NO OBLIGATION TO ANYONE THROUGH
THE PUBLICATION OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS FAQ.
Alcohol is the recreational drug of choice for most college
students. And from what I have seen of most U.C. Davis students, they
are no different from other college students in this regard. Other
popular LEGAL drugs on college campuses include caffeine and nicotine
in various forms; popular ILLEGAL drugs include marijuana and cocaine.
Numerous health education programs encourage college students to "just
say no" to drugs and to "get high on life," but (IMHO) such well-
intentioned programs are guided by entirely unrealistic attitudes.
Young adults are generally on their own for the first times in
their lives when they attend college. Youthful curiosity about drugs
is normal under such circumstances, especially if someone comes from a
strict home environment. Thus, it is a rare college student who does
not experiment with drugs, rarer still for one to avoid contact with
other students who use drugs. And unfortunately, most students obtain
the information that they get about drugs from people who hold very
strong opinions about drug use, but actually know very little.
The recreational use of drugs is *extremely* dangerous. And the
fact that a drug is illegal or socially unacceptable makes it even
more harmful in terms of legal, medical, and social consequences--Not
because illegal drugs are more harmful than legal ones, but because of
the simplistic and draconian measures that people advocate to "stamp
out" drug use. In other words, most drug laws do more harm than good.
As long as I can remember, I have advocated the legalization of
all recreational drugs, emphasizing the fact that paternalistic drug
laws do more harm than good. Many judges and prosecutors have taken
the same position in recent years, having seen firsthand for
themselves the harm that most drug laws cause. Unfortunately, many
legislators continue to pass harsher and harsher drug laws, spurred on
by various activists who constantly remind anyone who will listen that
drugs *are* very dangerous.
Caffeine, in its various forms, is the most unrestricted
recreational drug on campus. In fact, coffee is a staple in most
college students' diets. This in spite of the warnings of doctors
like T.D. Crothers that "[o]ften coffee drinkers, finding the drug to
be unpleasant, turn to other narcotics, of which opium and alcohol are
most common." _Morphinism and Narcomanias from Other Drugs_ (1902).
The consumption of alcohol is expressly prohibited in most places
on campus without a special permit. Two glaring exceptions are the
Silo Pub and the graduate dorms which have standing policies for the
consumption of alcohol; check with the U.C. Davis administration for
more information. Even after obtaining a permit to serve alcohol on
campus, campus regulations prohibit on-campus advertising that even
mentions the fact that alcohol will be served at an event. This is
not to say that many people who are responsible for enforcing alcohol
policies on campus are even aware that these policies exist, and in
many instances people may choose to look the other way. However, when
and if the axe finally does fall, it falls very swift and very hard.
Smoking cigarettes on the U.C. Davis campus is subject to very
harsh restrictions as well, and I am not aware of where and when
smoking might even be expressly allowed by the powers that be (nor do
I, as a non-smoker, really care). However, in the neighboring town of
Davis, smoking is expressly prohibited in almost all public places.
Suffice it to say that if you smoke in public, be very careful that
you are not near a building or a person's face into which your smoke
might drift (perhaps you might want to start chewing tobacco if you
are a nicotine addict); once again, check with the U.C. Davis
administration for more information.
Study after study has shown that many people experiment with
illegal drugs and use them on a regular basis without suffering any
ill effects (provided that they do not become addicted or get
arrested). But the recreational use of illegal drugs like marijuana
and cocaine is much more trouble than it is worth for most college
students. The consequences that do arise if you get caught breaking
the law are overwhelming, no matter how remote the possibility of
getting caught actually is--sort of like an airplane crash.
At the same time, decisions about drug use are very personal
ones. I wouldn't experiment with marijuana or cocaine, even if both
were legal, because neither one of these drugs appeal to me. But I
recommend that you review the available literature on the subject of
recreational drug use and make up your own mind. The best place to
start is with the seminal treatment on the subject of drug use in
Modern America: _Licit and Illicit Drugs_, by Edward M. Brecher and
the Editors of Consumer Reports (1972). It leaves no stone unturned.

 

Continue to:

• prev: 5.3.2.3) Isn't hazing illegal? [Rev] (U.C. Davis fraternities and sororities)
• Index
• next: 5.4) Where to turn for help with sensitive issues. (U.C. Davis)

Share and Enjoy

Tags

education, U.C. Davis, campus, admission, degree, sports, events, services, financial aid