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| HEC/News e-Digest | December 9, 2011 |
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| From the Center | |
New Center This Week! Features, publications, Prevention Updates, and learning and training opportunities
This Week! Recent Veterans in College Engage in Riskier Health Behaviors
According to a recent study, college students who have served in the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely than their nonveteran peers to use tobacco, drink in excess, and engage in other behaviors that endanger their health and safety. In the study, 8,651 Minnesota college students - both veterans and nonveterans - completed a survey of health-related behaviors. Compared with nonveteran students, higher percentages of veterans reported binge drinking - more than five drinks at one time - during the previous two weeks, and riding in a car driven by an intoxicated person during the prior year.
More information about This Week! Features can be viewed at the Center's Web site.
Center Director Appointed to CSAP National Advisory Council
Center Director John D. Clapp, Ph.D., has been appointed to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) National Advisory Council. The council advises, consults with, and makes recommendations to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the SAMHSA administrator, and the CSAP director concerning matters relating to the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug problems.
Upcoming Webinar: "Marijuana Prevention on College Campuses in a Changing Environment"
At a time when we know very little about effective approaches to prevent marijuana use and its attendant problems, marijuana laws have been degraded in numerous states through voter-approved medical marijuana laws. Although federal law still prohibits marijuana use, there is a trend toward liberalization of marijuana laws, which presents some important challenges to college prevention professionals. For example, from a policy standpoint, students with a medical marijuana card or prescription present a unique problem given that they have the legal right to use the substance in their state, but such use is in conflict with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. Campuses already struggle to address drunk driving and the needs of students with substance use disorders. A spike in marijuana use - especially co-morbid use with alcohol - may well increase impaired driving deaths and the number of students in need of substance use treatment.
Date: February 23, 2012
Time: 1:30-3:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Registration: Coming in mid-January 2012
Presenter: James E. Lange, Ph.D., Coordinator of Alcohol and Other Drug Initiatives, San Diego State University
For more information about the Webinar, please visit the Center's Web site.
New Web Content: Prevention at Community Colleges
Community colleges play an important role in the nation's system of postsecondary education. According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), with an enrollment of 12.4 million students in 1,167 public and independent community colleges, their students represent 44 percent of the college student population nationwide. AACC describes community colleges as " . . . an American invention that put publicly funded higher education at close-to-home facilities, beginning nearly 100 years ago with Joliet Junior College. . . . Community colleges are community-based institutions of higher education that serve all segments of society through an open-access admissions."
Please visit the Center's new Prevention at Community Colleges Web page for more information.
Updated Web Page: Prescription Drugs
Prescription medication is second only to marijuana for abused drugs in the nation, and abuse remains near its peak prevalence among college students. The Office of National Drug Control Policy estimates that there were approximately 2,567,000 new nonmedical users of psychotherapeutics across the United States during 2009. Despite the risk of accidental prescription drug overdose, many students mistakenly believe abusing prescription drugs is not harmful; because prescription drugs are legal substances created in carefully regulated labs and prescribed by doctors, some students think they are safe to take without medical supervision.
Please visit the Center's updated Prescription Drugs Web page for more information.
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| Recent News Articles | |
New drug prompts warnings
CU studies how other schools deal with 4/20
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| More information |
Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention
55 Chapel Street
Newton, MA 02458
(800) 676-1730
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| Announcements from the Field | |
Upcoming conferences and events, new resources and publications, and job opportunities in the alcohol and other drug abuse and violence (AODV) prevention field. The information shared on this site does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education or the Higher Education Center. The U.S. Department of Education and the Higher Education Center do not necessarily endorse the events and resources listed below, but offer this information as a service to the AODV prevention field.
December Is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
President Obama has declared December 2011 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The Nov. 30, 2011, proclamation states, "Though we have made progress in the fight to reduce drunk driving, our Nation continues to suffer an unacceptable loss of life from traffic accidents that involve drugs, alcohol, and distracted driving. To bring an end to these heartbreaking outcomes, we must take action by promoting rigorous enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we recommit to preventing tragedy before it strikes by ensuring our family members and friends stay safe, sober, and drug-free on the road. . . . Research suggests that younger drivers are particularly susceptible to the hazards of drugged driving. To help our families and communities build awareness about impaired driving, my Administration released a toolkit that includes information about drugged driving, discussion guides, and tip sheets for preventing driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs."
To read the proclamation, please visit the White House Web site.
Early-Bird Registration Ends: CADCA's 22nd National Leadership Forum
The theme of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) event is Forum 2012: Collaborate. Advocate. Innovate. The nation's largest meeting for community prevention leaders, treatment professionals and researchers, and SAMHSA/CSAP's 8th Annual Community Prevention Day, CADCA's National Leadership Forum will help coalitions to continue to bring about population-level change in communities. Effective coalition leaders engage and mobilize their communities through collaboration, advocacy, and innovation. Within their footprint, this allows coalitions to maximize partnerships, develop a clear understanding of local conditions, and take action.
Forum Dates: February 6-9, 2012
Location: Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland
Early-Bird Registration Ends: December 16, 2011
Visit the CADCA Web site for more information about the 22nd National Leadership Forum.
APIS Announces Annual Update of Alcohol Policy Information through January 1, 2011
The Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), a project of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, announces its latest update of state-by-state alcohol policies. This update reports on 21 substantive changes in state alcohol policy statutes and regulations that occurred through January 1, 2011. To read the highlights of changes under such topics as Underage Drinking; Alcohol and Motor Vehicles; and Retail Sales of Alcohol, as well as other changes to current APIS policy topics, please visit the APIS Web site.
Job Opportunities
The following positions were recently posted to the Job Opportunities section of the Center's Web site:
Violence Prevention Coordinator
Washington State University
Alcohol and Substance Abuse Specialist
DePaul University
Coordinator, Sexual Health/Violence Prevention
DePaul University
Health Educator and Outreach Coordinator
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention Program Coordinator
Vassar College
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| From the U.S. Department of Education | Announcements and news from the U.S. Department of Education.
U.S. Education Department Announces New Measures to Safeguard Student Privacy
On December 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced new regulations to safeguard student privacy while giving states the flexibility to share school data that can be helpful in judging the effectiveness of government investments in education. The regulations will strengthen the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by protecting the safety of student information, increasing ED's ability to hold those who misuse or abuse student data accountable, and ensuring taxpayer funds are invested wisely and effectively. In the past, uncertainty about where state sunshine laws left off and where FERPA picked up created confusion for institutions about when and with whom student information could and should be shared. Schools need the flexibility to pursue routine uses of information without getting prior consent while allowing them to prevent those who may misuse or abuse student information from accessing it. The new regulations allow schools to do just that. The full press release can be found on the ED Web site. The full regulation may be found at the Federal Register Web site.
ED's OSHS Prevention News Digest
If you would like weekly e-mail updates on Office of Safe and Healthy Students programs, as well as other information related to school safety, substance abuse and violence prevention in education, and the promotion of student health and well-being, you may be interested in subscribing to ED's OSHS Prevention News Digest. Subscription information is at http://www2.ed.gov/news/newsletters/listserv/preventioned.html. |
| The Latest Research | The latest research related to campus-based alcohol and other drug abuse and violence (AODV) prevention, with a special focus on the scope of the problem and promising strategies and interventions.
Gilligan, M. B., Kaysen, D., Desai, S., & Lee, C. M. (2011). Alcohol-involved assault: Associations with post trauma alcohol use, consequences, and expectancies. Addictive Behaviors, 36(11), 1076-1082.
Martens, M. P., Martin, J. L., Littlefield, A. K., Murphy, J. G., & Cimini, M. D. (2011). Changes in protective behavioral strategies and alcohol use among college students. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 118(2-3), 504-507.
More research studies can be viewed in The Latest Research section on the Center's Web site.
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The Higher Education Center news service (HEC/News) is provided by the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention as a way to disseminate news and information related to alcohol and other drug abuse and violence prevention on campus and in surrounding communities. Through its Office of Safe and Healthy Students, the Department funds the Center under contract number ED-04-CO-0069/0005. The contracting officer's representative is Phyllis Scattergood. The content of HEC/News e-Digest does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.
For more information visit http://higheredcenter.ed.gov/services/assistance/news/disclaimer |
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