Statistics and Research on Campus Substance Abuse

Substance abuse during college is a serious issue, and with more students enrolled in higher education programs than ever before,  it is important that schools provide adequate resources for students struggling with substance abuse. In fall 2016, roughly 20.5 million students attended colleges and universities in the United States.⁵ Between 2004 and 2014, the number of students enrolled in higher education increased by 17% and, of these students, those under 25 years old increased by 18%.⁶ In the state of Tennessee alone, there are roughly 400,000 students enrolled in higher education.⁷

Just because a campus has policies prohibiting drug and alcohol use does not mean that all students adhere to these rules. In fact, the landmark Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study (CAS) found that although fewer students on dry campuses drink, those students who do drink consume just as much alcohol as those on “wet” campuses.¹¹