College Drug and Alcohol Abuse Statistics
For many, college is an opportunity to increase creative thinking, make lifelong friendships, and engage in reckless abandon where alcohol is concerned. Most films, television shows, and songs pertaining to college feature binge drinking and parties, reinforcing the idea that college and drinking go hand-in-hand.
Some students head to college with underage drinking habits already established, while others develop those habits typically during their first year away from home. For many people, binge drinking becomes commonplace in college because they:
- Are away from home for the first time
- Have access to alcohol at social events
- Spend a great deal of time studying or holding part-time jobs and then drink too much when a weekend party or similar occasion presents itself
Binge drinking, in particular, is of significant concern for college students because college drug and alcohol abuse statistics indicate that some college students consume at least twice the amount that constitutes binge drinking (five drinks for men and four for women within two hours).
College Drug and Alcohol Abuse Statistics
College drug and alcohol abuse statistics indicate that college-aged students are more likely to struggle with binge drinking and drug use, the results of which include higher risks of poor academic performance, addiction, assault, and even death.
Alcohol:
According to data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
- Forty-nine percent of full-time college students aged 18 to 22 drank alcohol in the last month.
- Nearly 29 percent of full-time college students between the ages of 18 and 22 engaged in binge drinking in the last month.
- Over 1,500 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 are killed in alcohol-related injuries, particularly car accidents.
- Just under 700,000 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by other students who are under the influence.
- One in five women experience sexual assault in college, often alcohol-related.
- Twenty-five percent of college students fall behind with their schoolwork or miss classes because of alcohol.
- Forty percent of full-time college students who binge drink a minimum of three times each week perform poorly on tests or projects because of binge drinking compared to only 7 percent of college students who do not binge drink.
- Sixty-four percent of full-time college students who binge drink a minimum of three times each week miss classes because of alcohol, compared to only 12 percent of college students who don’t binge drink.
- Fifteen percent of full-time college students struggle with an alcohol abuse disorder.
Drug Use Statistics:
Based on a study on substance abuse among college students:
- Twenty percent of college students have ready opportunities to use cocaine each year.
- Between 2004 and 2016, MDMA use more than doubled for college students.
- Nearly ten percent of college students use Adderall prescriptions as a study drug.
- Four percent of full-time college students have used cocaine in the last year.
Getting Treatment for Addiction
College drug and alcohol abuse statistics not only indicate the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse among college students but the low rate of treatment. In fact, only 8 percent of those with a substance abuse disorder in college seek help. Students are more likely to avoid revealing an addiction if they think it compromises their place at their university or could have a negative impact on their GPA.
If you or someone in your family is in college and struggling with addiction, you can find addiction treatment with specialty programs. At Ritual Recovery, we offer specialized substance abuse treatment programs with flexible levels of care designed to accommodate student schedules.
We provide two forms of outpatient care that can be work with college schedules:
Both our partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs are short-term commitments that last anywhere between two and four weeks. These can be scheduled during holidays, summer vacations, or any other break you have. We are also flexible in terms of the days of the week and the times of the day that you schedule your appointments, which means even if you need help right away, our team can design a program that accommodates your academic workload and fits treatment in and around other commitments.
Overall, college drug and alcohol abuse statistics indicate that binge drinking remains high for students and that those in college are more likely to be exposed to and abuse several types of drugs. But this type of drug use and binge drinking comes with severe consequences. If you are ready to get treatment, you can find the right type of outpatient program today.
Call Ritual Recovery to learn more about our flexible schedules and personalized addiction treatment.
