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Binge Drinkers, Illicit Drug Users, and Polydrug Users: An Epidemiological Study of American Collegians

NCJ Number
180683
Journal
Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Dated: Fall 1998 Pages: 47-69
Author(s)
William Feigelman; Bernard S. Gorman; Julia A. Lee
Date Published
1998
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This study focused on the prevalence and characteristics of polydrug use among American college students.
Abstract
Based on a secondary analysis of data originally collected in 1993 from a large representative sample of 4-year college students (n=17,592), this analysis compared four subgroups of young adult drug users: exclusive binge drinkers, users of illicit drugs, those with both heavy use of alcohol and illegal drugs (polydrug users), and low-frequency alcohol users. Consistent with the results from clinical studies, collegiate polydrug users were far more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors -- i.e., getting into fights, engaging in unprotected sex acts, having more drunk-driving experiences, and displaying greater drug use -- than any of the other subgroups of respondents. This study also established the value of therapeutic availability for the effective reduction of collegiate substance misuse. For most respondents, heavy alcohol use in high school was found to be the closest correlate to later collegiate polydrug use. Yet, among the small subset of respondents who reported heavy high school alcohol use and who had experienced treatment for drug problems, their collegiate drug-use patterns were far more moderate compared to their non-treated peers. These findings show the importance of offering a full complement of drug rehabilitation and education services to secondary school populations. 5 tables and 27 references