U.Va. Students: Is Everybody Drinking ?

1. U.Va. Students: Is Everybody Drinking? Department of Student Health Center for Alcohol & Substance Education

2. Address the perceived and actual norms of student behaviors around several health issues Briefly review policies, state law & emergency guidelines Provide you with an overview of the educational programs we provide The purpose of this presentation:

3. We used to think that adolescents were impulsive and risk takers due to hormones… and that alcohol abuse was just a harmless rite of passage. We now know the brain continues to develop into adulthood (up to about age 25) and undergoes dramatic changes during adolescence… Why do we care about college students’ alcohol use?

4. The parts of the adolescent brain which develop first control physical coordination, emotion and motivation. The part of the brain which controls reasoning and impulses - the Prefrontal Cortex - develops last and does not fully mature until the age of 25 (on average). The brain develops at different rates

5. Compared to older adults, the brains of young adults (under the age of 25) respond differently to alcohol Source: H Scott Swartzwelder, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University. Research supported by NIAAA and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

6. More sensitive to memory impairment (harder to learn new information)

7. Easier to drink to impairment without realizing it (don’t realize they are making poor choices)

8. Faster development of tolerance (needing more alcohol to get the same effect)

9. Less sensitive to sedative effects(young adults stay awake longer, which allows them to drink more)

10. May be more vulnerable to long-term damage http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/87033E59-822F-4491-B0B5-F08C7C955588/0/NIAAA_Brain_Fact_Sheet_508.pdf

11. Problem drinking and biology • A family history of alcoholism/drug abuse puts students at a 4 times greater risk of developing an alcohol/drug problem. • Help your son/daughter make informed choices based on their genetic risk. • Have/continue conversations about any family history of substance abuse.

12. Alcohol abuse that occurs while the brain is still developing, even into the early 20s, may have “profound and long-lasting consequences.”Source: National Institute on Drug Abusehttp://www.nida.nih.gov/scienceofaddiction/addiction.html

13. IS U.VA. A PARTY SCHOOL??? What’s the norm for drinking at UVA?

14. Drinking Behaviors of U.Va. First-Year Students > 1 year ago 2% Over 1/3 of 1st years (37%) don’t drink (but many students incorrectly believe that everyone drinks) *2010 Health Promotion Survey

15. Of 100 U.Va. students on a Saturday night… About 31 people are consuming no alcohol. About33people are drinking moderately - 1 to 3 drinks over the course of the evening. About 19 people are drinking a bit more - 4 or 5 drinks over the course of the evening. About17people are drinking heavily- 6 or more drinks over the course of the evening *2010 Health Promotion Survey

16. Alcohol energy drinks • Alcohol mixed with energy drinks can be dangerous • They generally have higher alcohol concentrations than beer and are packaged in larger cans. • As a result, a single 23.5 oz. alcohol energy drink at 12% alcohol is the equivalent of drinking a 6 pack of beer (at 4% alcohol)

17. Marijuana use by U.Va. students Most students have never used marijuana 2010 Health Promotion Survey

18. Tobacco Use by U.Va. Students 82% don’t use tobacco (4 out of 5) *2010 Health Promotion Survey

19. U.Va. student abuse of prescription stimulant drugs (i.e., Ritalin, Adderall, etc. that were not prescribed to them or used for purposes other than intended) percent UVA Health Behaviors Survey (2004-2009) & Health Promotion Survey, 2010

20. Motives for Abuse of Prescription Stimulants – National College Student Data % responding Sources: Teeter et. al., 2006; White et. al., 2006

21. Prescription Stimulant Abuse • Over half of students w/ prescription stimulants for ADHD were asked to share/sell pills • About 1/3 of these students did share/sell their meds in the past year • 72% of students who abuse ADHD drugs got them for FREE Sources:Thomas et al., 2008; McCabe et al., in preparation; Arria et al., 2008

22. ADHD Medications • If you have a prescription for ADHD drugs, think about: • Who to tell you have ADHD meds • How to handle requests to give/sell your meds • If you think you need these meds to study, consider evaluation for attention difficulties at Student Health’s Learning Needs Evaluation Center

23. What is a norm? • Norms are the unspoken social rules that we all follow in our public behavior and often in our private beliefs. • Because they are unspoken, norms can often be misperceived. • People try to figure out the norms of the groups they want to belong to, and then they act that way. • If a person is misperceiving the norms of a certain group, they'll act that way anyway, because they want to be accepted as a part of that group.

24. Reality • UVA and national research have shown that most students overestimatethe extent of heavy drinking by other students. • In reality, heavy drinking is not as prevalent as most students think. • Students also underestimatethe prevalence of protective behaviors, things like preventing a friend from driving after drinking. • So students falsely believe that their peers are reluctant to intervene in dangerous situations.

25. Why does this matter? • Even if you don’t agree with the misperceived norm, if you think everyone else does, it can influence your behaviors. • If no one challenges the misperception, the distance between reality and the misperception grows • When we correct misperceptions, healthy behaviors increase.

26. Promoting the True Norms • One of the ways we promote the true norms is through the Stall Street Journal series. • When we give students more accurate information about their peers’ behaviors, we increase the healthy behaviors. • The students saw a summer version in the Hereford bathrooms.

27. Stall Seat Journal

28. www.Gordie.org Leslie Baltz (1976-1997) Leslie died as a result of an alcohol-related fall during her 4th year at U.Va.

29. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) All new students receive one of these gender-specific, wallet-sized cards

30. This poster is placed in all residence halls

31. Selected U.Va. Alcohol Policies

32. Emergency Room Procedures • UVA medical personnel DO NOT notify police or U.Va. administrators when a student is seen in the ER for an alcohol related incident. • Parents or guardians are NOT notified without student permission unless a situation is deemed life threatening or the student is under the age of 18. • Any 911 call from Grounds WILL result in automatic University Police response. • The officer’s primary emphasis is to provide assistance and see that the student receives emergency care. • On occasion, police follow up and investigation will take place only in exceptional circumstances. • There will be follow up from the Dean on Call or AC. • There is nocharge for the rescue squad to respond

33. Parental Notification Policy(pages 75-76 in the 2010 Handbook for Parents) Applies when: • A student is arrested for a drug- or alcohol-related violation while the student is a dependent (for federal tax purposes) • Violations include, but are not limited to, DUI, public drunkenness, underage possession, and unauthorized possession of controlled substances. • There is a pattern of behavior or a severe incident involving the useof alcohol or other drugs while the student is a dependent (for federal tax purposes) • Includes, but not limited to, frequent or severe episodes of drug use, drunkenness and/or hazardous drinking

34. Selected Commonwealth of Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) laws (See pages 75-76 in the 2010 Handbook for Parents)

35. Underage alcohol consumption/possession/purchase* • Class 1 misdemeanor • Mandatory minimum $500 fine (max. of $2,500) or 50 hours of community service • Mandatory driver’s license suspension - 6 month minimum, 1 year max. • Possible jail sentence: up to 1 year *COV 4.1-305 http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+4.1-305

36. Purchasing, giving, providing, or assisting in providing alcohol to person under 21 • Class 1 misdemeanor • Possible fine up to $2,500 • Possible jail sentence: up to 1 year • Mandatory driver’s license suspension for up to 1 year *COV 4.1-306 http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+4.1-306

37. Using or possessing a fake ID • Using a fake ID • Class 1 misdemeanor • Mandatory minimum $500 fine (max. of $2,500) or 50 hours of community service • Mandatory driver’s license suspension - 6 month minimum, 1 year max. • Possible jail sentence: up to 1 year • Possessing a fake ID • Class 2 misdemeanor • Possible jail sentence: up to 6 months • Possible fine: up to $1,000. • http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-204.2

38. University of VirginiaAlcohol and Other Drug Education Efforts

39. Alcohol-Wise online education program for U.Va. first-years One hour program, divided into four sessions Throughout the program, provides personalized feedback on student’s behaviors First-years will receive log in information by email approximately two weeks before move-in day Parents will also receive log in information by email so they can preview the program

40. The yellow cab program was used more than 4,200 times in 2009-10. • If students find themselves without a safe way home for any reason (not just alcohol-related) • They can call the Yellow Cab Company and show their U.Va. ID to charge the fare to their student accounts

41. U.Va. Peer Education AADAPTDAPT Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention Team ADAPT Student Athlete Mentors (SAM) Peer Health Educators

42. Hoos Sober Listserv • Provides a weekly email of non-alcohol focused events at U.Va. • Coordinated by ADAPT peer educators • Over 1,400 students registered

43. Hoos in Recovery An association of over 80 University undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and alumni in recovery from alcoholism or addiction who provide a non-judgmental, non-critical, anonymous forum for discussion. First meeting: Wednesday, Sept. 1 @ noon HoosInRecovery@virginia.edu

44. U.Va. Resources • Department of Student Health • Gordie Center for Alcohol & Substance Education (CASE) – virginia.edu/case • Office of Health Promotion • Counseling and Psychological Services • Rick Heisterman - Substance Abuse Clinician • Office of the Dean of Students • Residence Life • Fraternity & Sorority Life • University Police • Women’s Center • Office of African American Affairs • Project RISE peer counselors • Parent e-newsletters and Web site www.virginia.edu/parents

45. Students: Preparing for U.Va. • Know that many students don’t drink and among those who do, most drink moderately (1-3 drinks) • Prepare in advance how you will handle situations where you may be offered alcohol • Say you don’t drink • Fill your cup with water or soda. • Hold the cup all night but don’t drink it! • Intervene with your friends when needed

46. Parents: Your continued role • Students trust you • Initiate conversations • Clear expectations • Avoid scare tactics • Reinforce U.Va. norms • Repeat the message