Drug Free Campus
Problem of Substance Abuse
East Tennessee State University Policy Statement on Drug Free Campus
Health Risks
Helpful Websites
Available Drug and Alcohol Counseling, Treatment, Rehabilitation
Programs, and Employee Assistance Programs
Problem of Substance Abuse
Facts and Figures
Substance abuse places a major burden on all segments of American society, including the workplace.
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Definitions of Terms:
Current illicit drug user: Someone who has used illicit drugs at least once in the last month.
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Alcohol and Drug Abuse in America Today
Highlights from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual survey, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.
Illicit Drug Use
Illicit Drug Use
- In 2011, an estimated 22.5 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users, meaning they had used an illicit drug during the month prior to the survey interview. This estimate represents 8.7 percent of the population aged 12 or older. Illicit drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics (pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives) used non-medically.
- The rate of current illicit drug use among persons aged 12 or older in 2011 (8.7 percent) was similar to the rate in 2010 (8.9 percent).
- Marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug. In 2011, there were 18.1 million past month users. Between 2007 and 2011, the rate of use increased from 5.8 to 7.0 percent, and the number of users increased from 14.5 million to 18.1 million.
- In 2011, there were 1.4 million current cocaine users aged 12 or older, comprising 0.5 percent of the population. These estimates were similar to the number and rate in 2010 (1.5 million or 0.6 percent), but were lower than the estimates in 2006 (2.4 million or 1.0 percent).
- The number of persons who were past year heroin users in 2011 (620,000) was higher than the number in 2007 (373,000).
- Hallucinogens were used in the past month by 972,000 persons (0.4 percent) aged 12 or older in 2011. These estimates were lower than the estimates in 2010 (1.2 million or 0.5 percent).
- In 2011, there were 6.1 million persons (2.4 percent) aged 12 or older who used prescription-type psychotherapeutic drugs non-medically in the past month. These estimates were lower than the estimates in 2010 (7.0 million or 2.7 percent).
- The number of past month methamphetamine users decreased between 2006 and 2011, from 731,000 (0.3 percent) to 439,000 (0.2 percent).
- Among youths aged 12 to 17, the current illicit drug use rate was similar in 2010 (10.1 percent) and 2011 (10.1 percent), but was higher than the rate in 2008 (9.3 percent). Between 2002 and 2008, the rate declined from 11.6 to 9.3 percent.
- The rate of current marijuana use among youths aged 12 to 17 decreased from 8.2 percent in 2002 to 6.7 percent in 2006, remained unchanged at 6.7 percent in 2007 and 2008, then increased to 7.4 percent in 2009. Rates in 2010 (7.4 percent) and 2011 (7.9 percent) were similar to the rate in 2009.
- Among youths aged 12 to 17, the rate of current non-medical use of prescription-type drugs declined from 4.0 percent in 2002 to 2.8 percent in 2011. The rate of non-medical pain reliever use declined during this period from 3.2 to 2.3 percent among youths.
- The rate of current use of illicit drugs among young adults aged 18 to 25 increased from 19.7 percent in 2008 to 21.4 percent in 2011, driven largely by an increase in marijuana use (from 16.6 percent in 2008 to 19.0 percent in 2011).
- Among young adults aged 18 to 25, the rate of current non-medical use of prescription-type drugs in 2011 was 5.0 percent, which was lower than the rate in the years from 2003 to 2010. There was a decrease from 2005 to 2011 in the use of cocaine among young adults, from 2.6 to 1.4 percent.
- Among those aged 50 to 59, the rate of past month illicit drug use increased from 2.7 percent in 2002 to 6.3 percent in 2011. This trend partially reflects the aging into this age group of the baby boom cohort (i.e., persons born between 1946 and 1964), whose lifetime rate of illicit drug use has been higher than those of older cohorts.
- Among unemployed adults aged 18 or older in 2011, 17.2 percent were current illicit drug users, which was higher than the 8.0 percent of those employed full time and 11.6 percent of those employed part time. However, most illicit drug users were employed. Of the 19.9 million current illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2011, 13.1 million (65.7 percent) were employed either full or part time.
- In 2011, 9.4 million persons aged 12 or older reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the past year. This corresponds to 3.7 percent of the population aged 12 or older, which was lower than the rate in 2010 (4.2 percent) and was lower than the rate in 2002 (4.7 percent). In 2011, the rate was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (11.6 percent).
- Among persons aged 12 or older in 2010-2011 who used pain relievers non-medically in the past 12 months, 54.2 percent got the drug they most recently used from a friend or relative for free. Another 18.1 percent reported they got the drug from one doctor. Only 3.9 percent got pain relievers from a drug dealer or other stranger, and 0.3 percent bought them on the Internet. Among those who reported getting the pain relievers from a friend or relative for free, 81.6 percent reported in a follow-up question that the friend or relative had obtained the drugs from just one doctor.
Alcohol Use
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Slightly more than half (51.8 percent) of Americans aged 12 or older reported being current drinkers of alcohol in the 2011 survey, similar to the rate in 2010 (51.8 percent). This translates to an estimated 133.4 million current drinkers in 2011.
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In 2011, nearly one quarter (22.6 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking. This translates to about 58.3 million people. The rate in 2011 was similar to the estimate in 2010 (23.1 percent). Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the 30 days prior to the survey.
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In 2011, heavy drinking was reported by 6.2 percent of the population aged 12 or older, or 15.9 million people. This rate was lower than the rate of heavy drinking in 2010 (6.7 percent). Heavy drinking is defined as binge drinking on at least 5 days in the past 30 days.
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Among young adults aged 18 to 25 in 2011, the rate of binge drinking was 39.8 percent. The rate of heavy drinking was 12.1 percent, which was lower than the rate in 2010 (13.5 percent).
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The rate of current alcohol use among youths aged 12 to 17 was 13.3 percent in 2011. Youth binge and heavy drinking rates in 2011 were 7.4 and 1.5 percent, respectively. These rates were all similar to those reported in 2010 (13.6, 7.9, and 1.7 percent, respectively).
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In 2011, an estimated 11.1 percent of persons aged 12 or older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. This percentage was lower than in 2002, when it was 14.2 percent. The rate of driving under the influence of alcohol was highest among persons aged 21 to 25 (21.9 percent).
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There were an estimated 9.7 million underage (aged 12 to 20) drinkers in 2011, including 6.1 million binge drinkers and 1.7 million heavy drinkers.
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Past month, binge, and heavy drinking rates among underage persons declined between 2002 and 2011. Past month alcohol use declined from 28.8 to 25.1 percent, while binge drinking declined from 19.3 to 15.8 percent, and heavy drinking declined from 6.2 to 4.4 percent.
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In 2011, 57.0 percent of current underage drinkers reported that their last use of alcohol occurred in someone else's home, and 28.2 percent reported that it had occurred in their own home. About one third (30.3 percent) paid for the alcohol the last time they drank, including 7.7 percent who purchased the alcohol themselves and 22.4 percent who gave money to someone else to purchase it. Among those who did not pay for the alcohol they last drank, 38.2 percent got it from an unrelated person aged 21 or older, 19.1 percent from another person younger than 21 years old, and 21.4 percent from a parent, guardian, or other adult family member.
East Tennessee State University Policy Statement on Drug Free Campus
It is the policy of this university that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, use of alcohol and illicit drugs on the ETSU campus in the workplace (on or off campus), on property owned or controlled by ETSU, or as part of any activity of ETSU is strictly prohibited. All employees and students are subject to applicable federal, state and local laws related to this matter. Additionally, any violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action.
For complete policy information, see ETSU's Policy Statement on Drug Free Campus, PPP-26
Health Risks Associated With the Use of Illicit Drugs and the Abuse of Alcohol
There are many health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol including organic damage; impairment of brain activity, digestion, and blood circulation; impairment of physiological processes and mental functioning; and, physical and psychological dependence. Such use during pregnancy may cause spontaneous abortion, various birth defects or fetal alcohol syndrome. Additionally, the illicit use of drugs increases the risk of contracting hepatitis, AIDS and other infections. If used excessively, the use of alcohol or drugs singularly or in certain combinations may cause death.
(ETSU is not responsible for off-campus site content)
Available Drug and Alcohol Counseling, Treatment, Rehabilitation Programs, and Employee Assistance Programs
(ETSU is not responsible for off-campus site content)
| Partners for Health at 1-855-Here4TN (1-855-437-3486) or 1-800-456-4006 (TTY) | ||
| Employee Assistance Program, 423-439-5825 for additional information. | ||
| Online access to articles and self-help plans. Partners for Health: http://www.here4tn.com/ | ||
| ETSU Department of Public Safety | 439-4480 | |
| Alcoholics Anonymous | 928-0871 | |
| Comprehensive Community Services (Alcohol & Drug Counseling & Prevention Center) | 928-6581 | |
| Woodridge Hospital | 928-7111 | |
| Watauga Mental Health Center (Frontier Health) | 232-4300 | |
| Alcoholics Anonymous - East Tennessee Information | 974-9888 | |