Public Safety Department of Drexel Essay

An environment where abuse is condoned can make students feel as if something is 'wrong' with them if they do not overindulge. Fraternities and other organizations which host parties need to confront their role in setting the tone for the campus and provide more alcohol-free activities. The school needs to support groups such as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous (and/or other programs with proven effectiveness 'track records' working with young adult drug and alcohol dependency) on campus to help people who already have problems (Kaskutas 2009). Students need to realize they have a problem -- before it is too late. Taking steps to treat alcoholism and drug abuse amongst young people can prevent the types of escalating healthcare costs caused by abuse later on. And even young people can still suffer from the physical effects of abuse, including the loss of brain cells and damaged liver function that are often only associated with 'older' addicted adults. "Every year, more than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem" as a result of alcohol addiction (a snapshot of annual high-risk college drinking consequences, 2010, collegedrinkingprevention.gov).Having community service groups that volunteer to help addicts off-campus can encourage student volunteers to see the devastating effects of the disease first-hand.Expectations must change. Binge drinking is a serious illness, it is not a necessary rite of passage, and it adds nothing to the college experience. Drexel's policy regarding drugs and alcohol confirms this, and is a refreshing change from administrations nodding and winking at public drunkenness and partying. School is a place to learn and to have fun, and it is not necessary to use alcohol to learn -- or to enjoy one's self. It is not simply illegal for young people not to use recreational drugs and alcohol; it is also foolish and fundamentally undercuts the real purpose of the university experience, which is to learn, enjoy life, and to look at the world in a mindful and conscious way.

Sincerely,

References

Kaskutas, Lee Ann. (2009). Alcoholics Anonymous effectiveness: Faith meets science. Journal of Addictive Disorders, 28 (2): 145-157. Retrieved:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2746426/

Mission. (2013). The Public Safety Department of Drexel University. Retrieved:

http://www.drexel.edu/publicsafety/about/mission/

Scientists find gene link to teenage binge drinking. (2012). Reuters. Retrieved:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/03/us-alcohol-binge-idUSBRE8B21DX20121203

A snapshot of annual high-risk college drinking consequences. (2012).

collegedrinkingprevention.gov. Retrieved:

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/statssummaries/snapshot.aspx.....