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Encourage Marijuana Use in College

By Lanny Swerdlow, RN, LNC

 

Fall is almost here which means college students are returning to campuses to learn, study and party. Yeah that’s right—party

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By Lanny Swerdlow, RN, LNC

 

Fall is almost here which means college students are returning to campuses to learn, study and party. Yeah that’s right—party. Partying is part of the college experience—it’s part of being young and it’s not going to end anytime soon—nor should it.

The problem is not that college students party, the problem is what college students choose to party with. That problem is called alcohol.

Alcohol is the facilitator of choice for most college parties. That is not surprising given its legality, easy availability, relatively low-price and its widespread acceptance by most segments of society.

This is unfortunate as alcohol is responsible for a host of problems specific for college students. Take a look at these chilling statistics.

 

Every year:

—1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.

—599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are injured under the influence of alcohol.

—696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who they had been drinking with.

—97,000 victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

—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.

—Over 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.

—More than 25 percent of administrators from schools with relatively low drinking levels and over 50 percent from schools with high drinking levels say their campuses have a “moderate” or “major” problem with alcohol-related property damage.

—31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months.

 

I list all these college alcohol statistics because most people have no idea the extent to which alcohol negatively impacts college students.

The sun is coming in the east tomorrow and college students are going to party until the sun comes up so what can be done to lessen the negative effects of alcohol consumption? Not much if alcohol continues to be used because incapacitation is the nature of the alcohol beast.

College students, like most people, like to stimulate their senses when they party. It’s been going on for so long there is probably a genetic component. This innate human desire needs to be recognized and dealt with in a sensible and rational manner. College students need to use something other than alcohol. The only viable alternative is marijuana.

Is marijuana a viable alternative? You bet it is! Kicking back with friends and passing a joint around of good quality potent marijuana is the bomb. There is nothing better to facilitate socialization. You get controllably high, talk, laugh, listen to music, dance, get to know everyone really well and food tastes marvelous. It makes a party—whether you are just with a couple friends or an uproarious evening with a room full of people—way more fun, stimulating and exciting.

Most importantly, none of the horrid statistics above apply to marijuana, nor does marijuana make you mad, angry, fight, puke or black out.

Not to mention that other thing that college students like to do best, especially after or even at a party, is have SEX. In fact, marijuana is way better than alcohol for sex. Marijuana stimulates and facilitates good sex—sex that is consensual, passionately performed and can actually be remembered.

Plus the next day, when you party with marijuana instead of alcohol, you wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to hit the books and pay attention to your professors during their stimulating lectures.

From the statistics above, the choice of what a college student chooses to party with is more than just a matter of taste—it is a matter of life and death and a successful college career. Rather than discouraging marijuana use, college administrators should be encouraging and facilitating marijuana consumption as a safe and viable alternative to alcohol when college students party.

 

Subscribe to the free marijuana email newsletter authored by Lanny Swerdlow, RN, LNC by sending an email to lanny@marijuananews.org. He can also be contacted at (760) 799-2055.

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