Results from the 2008 CORE Alcohol and Drug Survey indicate that fewer NDSU students are engaging in high risk drinking (five or more standard drinks in one sitting) than two years ago. The 2008 results show that 51 percent of students report engaging in high-risk drinking in the previous two weeks. That is down from 2006, when 53.5 percent of students reported binge drinking in the previous two weeks.

The CORE survey also indicated that the number of drinks consumed per week by students is down to 5.37 drinks in 2008, from 6.51 drinks in 2006. The survey also showed that a lower percentage of students have used marijuana in the past 30 days than two years ago, from 9.3 percent in 2006 to 7.5 percent in 2008.

The CORE Alcohol and Drug Survey was developed to measure alcohol and other drug usage, as well as attitudes and perceptions among college students attending two and four year institutions nationwide. This survey has been administered to NDSU students in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 and in 2008 in an attempt to measure drinking and drug use behaviors, as well as their perceptions of how their peers are using alcohol and drugs.

All undergraduate students at NDSU had the opportunity to be included in the survey through a random sampling procedure, which included 1,271 students. Students were drawn from all ethnic backgrounds, academic colleges, and classes.

The NDSU President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs will use the data to improve and create programs, services and policies to address high-risk drinking and other drug use at NDSU. Prevention efforts include increasing late-night programming options, targeted alcohol education for students who violate NDSU’s alcohol and other drug policy, classroom activities about alcohol and other drugs and maintaining compliance with the drug free schools act.

For more information regarding the CORE Drug and Alcohol Survey or prevention efforts, visit www.ndsu.edu/alcoholinfo or contact Laura Oster-Aaland, director of Orientation and Student Success at 1-7750 or via e-mail at laura.oster-aaland@ndsu.edu or Jane Vangsness, Alcohol and Other Drug Coordinator at 1-5478 or via e-mail at jane.vangsness@ndsu.edu.