Natural High

1
Natural High

• Dr. Nathan J. Cooper, C.Psych.
• McMaster University
• Centre For Student Development

2
Natural High Quotes

• I need to smoke pot in order to maximize my meal
  plan.
• In response to the rhetorical question pot and
  alcohol never hurt anyone, did they? they told
  me at the hospital that I was two drinks away
  from death
• D is for diploma

3
Natural High Why?

• Brief overview of substance use issues among
  students theory, research, practice
• Purpose and Outcome of the program
• Discussion comparing notes

4
Students and Substance Use

• Reasons for substance use
• Established pattern
• Biological predisposition
• Belief system/ Personality
• Alcohol/ drug expectancy
• Availability/ culture

5
Students and Substance Use

• Prevalence of substance use by location and age
• AUDIT scores in the range of 8-19
• Location college 30
• community 20
• Age range of 18-24
• 30 report high risk drinking

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Students and Substance Use

• Prevalence of substance use
• Fraternities/ sororities/ Athletes
• On-campus housing
• Off-site/ independent housing
• Commuters/ mature students

7
Students and Substance Use

• High risk substance use
• Underage drinking
• Binge drinking (4-5 drinks in a row)
• Daily substance use
• Disregard for health/ medication
• Drinking and Driving

8
Students and Substance Use

• Impact of substance use
• Academic difficulty (25)
• Vandalism/ property damage
• Abuse/ dependence (31 and 6 respectively)
• Sexual assault/ unsafe sex (70,000/ 400,000)
• Assault/ injury (600,000/ 500,000)
• Self-injury/ Death (1.5 and 1400/ yr.)
• niaaa stats taken from u.s. dhhs materials
  available at www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov

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Students and Substance Use

• Harm reduction Approach
• Social norms theory
• Brief Intervention and Screening of College
  Students (Basics) http//modelprograms.samhsa.gov/
  pdfs/FactSheets/BASICS.pdf

10
Natural High program

• Collaborative campus initiative
• Multi-media Prevention/ Awareness poster,
  bookmark, web site, cd
• Intervention mandated 4 sessions of counselling
  via student code of conduct educational sanction

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Natural High outcome

• Relaxation cd distribution/ downloads
• Campus security incidents/ arrests
• Judicial affairs sanctions
• Participant Evaluation forms

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Natural High outcome

• Relaxation cd
• 2003-04 100 Copies
• 2004-05 500 copies
• Relaxation Track downloads
• April 1, 2004- March 31, 2005

13
Natural High outcome

• Campus security incidents

14
Natural High outcome

• Judicial affairs sanctions

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Natural High outcome

• Drug Abuse Screening Test
• N of 11, x 6.36, Scores range 1-12
• Participant Evaluation Forms