DEALING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE

It's a shame there is only one drug counselor on the second-largest
U.S. campus.

n an environment filled with intense pressures and constant
anxieties, alcohol and drug abuse is a tempting reality for many
college students. Unfortunately, the University continues to employ
only one drug counselor to advise students. Currently, Mary
Roske-Groth of Boynton Health Service is the only one who answers to
the counseling needs of students.

How can one person provide the necessary counseling for such a large
group? Not only is it an injustice to have only one drug counselor,
but it's also unfair to overburden a single individual with the
responsibility of students dealing with this campus issue. The
University is demonstrating that it has little or no interest in the
welfare of its students. Drug counseling, which also involves
alcohol abuse counseling, is a positive method in dealing with
the issue of drug and alcohol abuse on campus. Instead of busting
parties and slapping students with fines, there are other means of
coping with the issue.

There is wisdom in providing students with a more preventive, but
also healthy and professional way of combating the issues of
substance abuse that the campus community faces. Factors that
contribute to drug abuse are strongly applicable to the cases of
many students, among the cases are high stress and depression.
Stress and depression are very common among college students. It
should be expected that students will abuse drugs and alcohol, not
simply because they are young and feel the need to experiment, but
also because anxiety clearly contributes to depression, which is
closely linked with substance abuse. Students constantly have to
deal with the pressure of deadlines, exams and financial situations.
All that significantly contribute to anxiety.

The University could continue to be a hotbed and breeding ground for
young binge drinkers and addicts, or it could lead an active role in
eradicating the abuse of alcohol and drugs on this campus by
investing in the position of drug counseling on campus.