Drug abuse, not use, the real problem
by Charlie Hammond, Outpost staff
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Photo courtesy of Reno Police Dept. |
Like family values, drug abuse has become a term so loosely used that no one knows what it means anymore. Worse, its current connotation implies that any and all drug use is bad. I couldn't disagree more.
It's no secret that drug and alcohol abuse is, and has been, a problem on American college campuses. UNR is far from the exception. Our location may constitute much of the problem. Nevada ranks first among the states in alcohol consumption per capita, third in drug consumption. As Garry Rubinstein, Coordinator of the Substance Abuse Program on campus, said, "There is no shortage of drugs in this community." He added that Nevadans seem to expect alcohol at social events and that heavy drinking is part of the culture.
No conclusive evidence has been found as to why the Silver State has more than its share of addicts, and, to be perfectly honest, I could care less. I've known users, and the reasons behind their addiction - though varied in the specifics - always had one thing in common. It was a means of escape. People maintain drug habits to avoid undesirable elements in their lives, whether those are mental illnesses like depression or paranoia, or more tangible dilemmas like financial stress (often caused by their drug habits). A close friend pops ecstasy to avoid boredom.
These circumstances raise the prickly question, "Who is an addict?" Those who overdose make it easy. They either die or get dumped by "friends" in a hospital parking lot. Most of us, however, including me, have smoked pot at one time or another. But does sharing an occasional joint outside a bar on a weekend constitute abuse?
Then there is supposed binge drinking, which a dubious university study defined as something like five drinks per evening. For some of us, five drinks is pre-partying. But we hardly do that every week, much less every night. (Thank God I was a sophomore only once.) Many have friends that drink every night and/or go to class stoned; some of these even succeed academically and maintain jobs. Dependability, emotional clarity, health risks, what is the basis for judgment? How about moderation?
I have had a chance to witness the three most-abused drugs on campus in action - in order: alcohol, marijuana and ecstasy - and I'm not convinced they are all bad. As the oldest known and most accessible drug, alcohol remains a fixture of the college social scene. I don't go to a party expecting sobriety, just as I don't go to a Bible study group looking for a keg. For every stupid thing I've seen people do drunk, I've witnessed hundreds of people enjoying a night out with friends, getting a buzz, and going home. Marijuana, for the most part, is much the same. During a typical smoking session, lighters are lost, Doritos are eaten and a lot of TV is watched.
Ecstasy is one of the newest, and perhaps most fascinating and disturbing, illegal drugs. Its short-term health risk is a lowered immunity to infections; the long term include possible brain damage and renal failure. It is wildly popular on campus and may be severely addictive. Where's the good? Go to a rave, where ecstasy is used heavily, and count - in an atmosphere dominated by loud, high-energy music and packs of frantic dancers - how many fights you see? Chances are, not a one.
The truth is that people always have, and will continue to, use drugs of some kind. For many it is truly no big deal, something done once in a while for a wild time. For others it can become a way of life, an escape from personal pain. College students tend to have an overly ambitious standard of what it means to have a good time. Sometimes the bar can be set too high.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has a drug or alcohol problem, contact the Substance Abuse Program at 784-4648. The Program is free and confidential, and located in the Counciling and Testing Center in Room 206 of Thompson Student Services. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Posted April 21, 2000
Copyright 2000 Nevada Outpost
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