The top three most used drugs on campus aren’t surprising. In fact, they tend to be the favorites at most colleges and universities: alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. From there, the numbers start to overlap and the competitors for the next place range from study drugs and uppers like Ritalin and Aderol to hallucinogens like mushrooms.
According to Director of WesWell, Lisa Currie, and consistent with student responses, most students at Wesleyan and at other institutions recognize their own limits and physical needs and thus self-regulate.
Jane*, a sophomore, said that she has smoked marijuana on a fairly regular basis since before starting college. She has also smoked opium several times and had tried LSD once with some friends from home. Since arriving on campus she ha experimented with mushrooms three times, though she said she wouldn’t ever again.
“I feel like with hallucinogens, it’s an experience worth having, but if you do them too many times it’s more weird that enjoyable,” she said. “It’s bad for your body and mind.”
Jane explained that mushrooms are usually a social event: a group of friends decide to do them together, sometimes even in public. Jane felt that this was emblematic of what she described as the “supportive drug community” at Wesleyan.
“People go out of their way to have others around them in case they start to get into trouble,” she said. “Sellers are conscious of who they’re selling to, both to protect themselves and also to make sure that [the buyers] can handle [what they’re buying]. It’s rare that people will buy something that they either haven’t seen someone take or heard about.”
Dan ’05, said that he did ecstasy about once a weekend when in high school, though more recently he’s been using it less often solely because it’s difficult to obtain. Though he sometimes uses Aderol to study, he doesn’t usually use it recreationally, and tried cocaine for the first time last year. Since then, he’s used it only twice.
“I liked [cocaine] too much, so I don’t really do it anymore,” he said.
According to Dan, though the drug culture isn’t necessarily closed to outsiders. Students tend to do drugs in relatively small groups of friends who know and trust one another and also sometimes in party situations.
Jane agreed, and explained that certain drugs are more accessible than others if you know the right people.
Though perhaps not the norm, Jane isn’t alone in making the decision to curb her drug use. Since high school, several others have made the decision to alter their behavior.
In high school, Peter ’05 used a variety of illicit substances, though more recently his considers his use to be less of a problem. He consciously chose to alter his behavior because he felt that his actions were more negative than positive.
Matt ’06 also said that after a bad trip induced by mushrooms and marijuana a little over a month ago he decided to stop using all together. Previously, he was experimenting with mushrooms, opium, Ritalin, Aderol and Dexedrine, and using marijuana on a regular basis.
Matt explained that although marijuana is widespread on campus and that pockets of people use uppers, relatively few use substances like heroin. In his experiences, many don’t consider cocaine to be that serious of a drug and that like those who use marijuana, cocaine users aren’t necessarily an interconnected group.
In Matt’s eyes, students tend to use in order to cope with the stresses of studying at an elite university and as a way to deal with depression. Furthermore, students at Wesleyan often have the economic means to purchase more expensive, designer drugs.
“Money is always a part of any drug scene,” he said.
Since choosing to quit, Matt has sought out the aid of the Office of Behavioral Health, whose services he’s found very helpful.
According to Currie, the jump in prescription drug use is a relatively recent phenomenon on college campuses.
“[There’s been an increase] of students on campus coming not only with Ritalin and Aderol but anti-anxiety medications, anti-depressants [and] pain relievers because we’re seeing an increase of prescription going on in the medical community,” Currie said. “So more students coming to campus with those things whether it’s for a physical health issue or a mental health issue creates an opportunity for students who don’t necessarily need a medication legally or medically to abuse one, because it’s there. It’s available.”
Jim ’05 claimed that he sometimes gives his friends some of his prescription Ritalin in order to prevent them from using Aderol, which he considers less neuro-toxic and addictive, though he’s never sold.
In Jim’s opinion, drugs are more widespread on campus than many may realize.
“I know for a fact that I could [get cocaine] and almost everyone I know has taken Aderol to study at some time,” he said.
Despite this, he stressed that drugs like cocaine are still perceived as serious and users aren’t nonchalant about their decision to experiment.
Peter claimed that his use consists mostly of the manipulation of his own prescription medications, through the sheer fact that doctors are prescribing medication more and more.
“Commonly, the amount of the prescription given is more than needed for the general uses [of regulating one’s behavior].”
Peter’s use is more individually based; he stated that he doesn’t necessarily use before going out or with groups of other people. He also mentioned that he doesn’t ever give out his prescriptions to other people.
Due to the legal penalties, Jim explained that in his experience marijuana and prescription drugs are often put in the same category: one can’t be arrested for possession of one’s prescription and unless one has a large amount of marijuana, the consequences, especially for the kinds of students who attend Wesleyan or a similar institution, are relatively light. Mushrooms and cocaine are less talked about because the penalties are more serious.
Students do tend to be supportive of their friends decisions to quit, Matt explained. His friends in particular were very ready to help him change his behavior. Peter agreed that student attitudes on campus tend to veer away from more harmful substances.
“There’s a strong stigma against [harder drugs] which I think is really healthy,” he said.
*Names have been changed at the request of respondents.
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