Colleges across the country are reporting an increase in the abuse of alcohol, prescription medication and marijuana. With this in mind, local experts are encouraging parents to talk to their college-aged children about the short- and long-term effects of drugs and alcohol. For teenagers, the effects of a night spent out partying may linger long after the hangover wears off, even causing serious injury to a teen’s still-developing brain. Studies have shown that the earlier a person begins using alcohol, the more likely its use could lead to future abuse or addiction. Evidence also suggests that heavy exposure to alcohol, prescription medication and marijuana can cause long-term memory problems, often decreasing short-term memory, as well as difficulty in processing social and emotional information. A positive influence from parents or legal guardians is perhaps the strongest preventive factor for substance abuse. Research repeatedly shows that for students who don’t binge drink or use substances at all, the main reason stems from a healthy relationship with an adult who has previously talked with them about alcohol and drugs. There are ways to approach these often difficult and sometimes dreaded conversations while still keeping the line of communication open as your child transitions into adulthood.
“Remember to make it feel like a conversation, and not a lecture,” said Dr. Harold Urschel, Chief Medical Strategist at Enterhealth, a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center based in Dallas. “Your child also needs to understand that experimenting with alcohol or drugs can lead to very serious and sometimes irreversible consequences.”
According to Dr. Urschel, the effects of abusing marijuana, alcohol or prescription medication can alter how a college-aged person retains new information for days, sometimes weeks after getting high. According to the Centers for disease Prevention and Control, binge drinking is associated with a teen’s increased risk of a sexually transmitted disease, accidental injury, alcohol-poisoning and neurological damage. Dr. Urschel specializes in science-based, individualized treatment for alcohol and drug addiction at Enterhealth, and also gives regular talks to North Texas students about the dangers of marijuana and alcohol abuse. While drug and alcohol use is widespread and often promoted by pop culture, it’s important to recognize the dangers associated with overuse. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), about four out of five college students drink alcohol. Studies conducted by the NIAAA, along with research by other experts estimate the following rates and prevalence of alcohol-related problems involving college students:
- Death: 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from unintentional alcohol-related incidents.
- Assault: More than 690,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
- Sexual Abuse: More than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
- Injury: 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol.
- Academic Problems: About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall.
- Health Problems/Suicide Attempts: More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.
In addition to alcohol, it’s common for many college students to experiment with marijuana. Teenagers and young adults are more vulnerable to the effects of marijuana because their rapidly growing and maturing brains are more susceptible to injury from the drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), regular and heavy use of marijuana by teens can lead to an IQ drop of up to eight points. It’s linked to lower GPA’s, delayed graduation and unemployment.
“Marijuana strips users of their motivation and drive to be successful and competitive with their classmates,” said Dr. Urschel. “Explaining to your children that marijuana can cause brain damage and underperformance academically may deter them from experimenting with the drug.”
Research and studies show that continued use of marijuana also poses serious health and mental related risks:
- Sleep problems
- Greater risk of psychosis, which can exacerbate underlying anxiety and mental health disorders
- Increased risk of triggering schizophrenia
- Increased risk of stroke in young adults
- Addiction linked to withdrawal syndrome, making it difficult to quit. Symptoms include irritability, craving, anxiety, sleep difficulties and increased aggression.
Parents need to remind their college-aged children that substance use injures their brain, and that the whole reason for going to college is to train their brain so that they can have a competitive edge in the workforce. According to the NIAAA, research shows us that early use of multiple substances is associated with higher rates of dependence in young adults. They found that adolescents who used alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana prior to age 16 were twice as likely to meet the criteria for marijuana dependence and three times as likely to be dependent on other illicit drugs.