By
Shana Heiser
Arizona Daily Wildcat
All age groups decrease or stay the same except 18 to 25 year olds
Illegal drug use among UA students is up about 3 percent this year after a decline between 1998 and 1999.
National drug use among students ages 18 to 25 has increased from 14.8 percent in 1997 to 18.8 percent in 1999, according to a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey. The survey was released at the end of August.
The Southwest and Western regions report drug use is higher than the national average with six of the 10 highest drug use states in the West, said Carolyn Collins, University of Arizona Health Promotion director.
"(The survey) didn't list the states, but I would assume that because we're a border state, we are one," Collins said.
Every other age group's drug use has declined or stayed the same, including a 2.4 percent decrease among 12 to 17 year olds and insignificant changes among 26 to 34 year olds and those 35 years and older.
"Drug use rates vary from year to year," said Collins. "(Drug use) is probably following a national trend."
The steady increase, nationally and locally, has no single explanation, but several students had an idea of why their peers are getting high more frequently.
"Teens are more frustrated and they're taking drugs to get away from frustration and problems," said Ehtesham Haque, a computer sciences junior. "One reason is because when you get into college, you're free and can do whatever you want. A lot of people experiment with new things."
The change in the UA's number of drug users could also be attributed to outside factors such as location, according to Cindy Wolf, a biochemistry junior.
"I hadn't really noticed an increase," Wolf said. "Maybe more people are getting curious. Maybe it's a trend moving in from the East. (Mexico) could make it easier to get drugs."
Tashfique Hossain, a computer engineering freshman from Bangladesh, noticed quite a difference between his home country's drug habits and UA students' habits.
"Most students (in Bangladesh) don't go for drugs," Hossain said. "On the weekends, you see parties all around here. In Bangladesh, most people just hang out at their friends' houses. It might be the conservative social structure. Until age 20, there is a lot of pressure from family and friends."
As UA drug use increases, alcohol use is on the decline, Collins said.
"I know our heavy drinking rate here at the UA has decreased over the past few years and that's generally only happened on campuses using the same approach we are," she said.
The percentage of UA students using drugs varies yearly but have stayed relatively constant , Collins said.
Even though the number of students using illegal drugs has increased recently, Wolf said she is skeptical this is the beginning of a trend.
"It will probably just fluctuate," Wolf said. "I don't think it will get to where everybody's doing it."
