The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 require almost every college and university to establish, maintain, and enforce drug abuse policies and to discipline students or employees who violate institutional policies against alcohol and drugs. By specifically including referral for rehabilitation services among the available penalties, the Federal requirements encourage the enlightened and progressive use of rehabilitative intervention instead of punishment when violations occur. Campus-based efforts should be carefully defined and narrowly circumscribed, because policies and drug-testing programs pose potentially serious threats to academic norms and individual privacy interests. Colleges and universities should direct their policies toward education and rehabilitation, which are more compatible with an educational mission, rather than toward punitive action. Punitive actions should be reserved only for certain cases. Footnotes