LSC Participates in Survey of Student Use of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs

Lake Superior College is one of 12 Minnesota colleges and universities that participated in a survey of the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs among students, in an effort to improve academic success and student health.

According to the survey, the high-risk drinking rate (consuming five or more drinks at one sitting within the past two weeks) was 45 percent among students 18 to 24 and 35.7 percent among students over the age of 24. Daily use of tobacco was 14.6 percent among younger students and 21.9 percent among the older group.

The research was conducted in February of 2006. Surveys were sent to 1,310 full-time students at LSC and 541 (41.5 percent) responded. Responses from students age 18 through 60 are included in the LSC data.

Funded by the Hennepin Medical Society and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, the survey is designed to help measure knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among college-age students. It also examines students’ perceptions about the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs by their peers, and assesses student awareness of alcohol and other drug education efforts on campus.

A detailed press release is available at lsc.edu/publicinfo/newsreleases/.

The study is available online at: www.bhs.umn.edu/healthdata/summit/.