Alcohol and drugs pose special problems for students. The average student who has one drink a day earns a GPA at only a C-level, and grades plummet with higher consumption. Women need to drink only half what male students do to cause the same effect on their grades. Almost half of academic problems come from abusing alcohol. It's also a factor in about a third of drop-outs.

In an environment where binge-drinking is common, so are substance-related legal offences and injuries. Illegal drugs, underage possession of alcohol, and drunk driving can costs fines and jail time. Fights, sexual assualt, and injuries are more likely to happen when one has been drinking or doing drugs. Half of campus injuries are alcohol-related. One third of people who die in drunk driving crashes are under 25 years old. It's the leading cause of death for young people.

Many people have stereotypes of what an alcoholic or addict is, and most people don't associate that image with young students. Being young and in college doesn't protect you from addiction. Responsible behavior does.

The CORE Drug and Alcohol Survey

• The CORE Survey
• UNC Survey Results
• Student Perceptions at UNC

• UNC Substance Abuse Task force recommendations
• The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information Publications for College Students
• The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention at the U.S. Department of Education
• Additional Resources