ASU students like to get drunk.
Though drinking alcohol is prevalent on most college campuses, alcohol is the drug students are most likely to overdose on and is the most commonly used drug on campus, ASU health officials said.
Marijuana and prescription painkillers are also prominent, while cocaine, methamphetamines and meth derivatives like speed are becoming more popular on campus, said Michael Baros, Emergency Medical Services coordinator for the Tempe Fire Department.
In a period of 30 days in 2004, 66 percent of ASU students drank alcohol, 12.5 percent had used marijuana, less than 5 percent had used methamphetamines and less than 2 percent had used cocaine. The figures came from a Student Health and Wellness survey in spring 2004.
According to data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 60.5 percent of 18- to 25-year-olds reported alcohol use in a one-month period in 2002.
"Alcohol has been around so long and promoted so much that people don't see the dangers," said David Bower, student health educator in Health Promotions.
The Tempe Fire Department reports that patients 20 to 29 years old led all other age groups in overdoses and poisonings in 2003 and 2004. The number of patients in that age group increased slightly between the two years. There were 316 patients who overdosed or were poisoned in the Tempe area, up from 279 patients in 2003.
Paul Krech, clinical social worker at Counseling and Consultation at ASU, has seen a few more reports on meth use and said he thinks it is becoming more of an issue at ASU.
Meth users often express symptoms such as severe weight loss, excessive sweating, bloodshot eyes and rotting teeth.
Baros said meth is very addictive and many people are addicted after a single use. Compared to other "hard" drugs, Baros placed meth as the most dangerous followed closely by heroin.
Though meth is gaining popularity, alcohol remains the No. 1 drug choice on the Student Health survey.
Common reasons students overdose on alcohol is due to inexperience, quantity and frequency of use in a short period, Bower said.
Alcohol is a depressant, so it affects the respiratory system and limits the amount of oxygen getting to the lungs.
Counseling and Consultation and Health Promotions provide support and education on drug use and how to have a safe and healthy college experience.
Reach the reporter at courtney.bonnell@asu.edu.
