Substance Abuse

We are committed to raising the awareness of JMU students about prevention and risk of substance abuse.  We can make referrals to the Counseling & Student Development Center for clinical assessment.

Behavior Characteristics Associated with Substance Abuse

• Abrupt changes in work or school attendance, quality of work, work output, grades, discipline.
• Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper.
• Withdrawal from responsibility.
• General changes in overall attitude.
• Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming.
• Wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times.
• Continual wearing of long-sleeved garments particularly in hot weather or reluctance to wear short-sleeved attire when appropriate.
• Association with known substance abusers.
• Unusual borrowing of money from friends, co-workers or parents.
• Stealing small items from employer, home or school.
• Secretive behavior regarding actions and possessions; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion such as frequent trips to storage rooms, restroom, basement, etc.

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

• Odor on the breath.
• Intoxication.
• Difficulty focusing; glazed appearance of the eyes.
• Uncharacteristically passive behavior; or combative and argumentative behavior.
• Gradual (or sudden in adolescents) deterioration in personal appearance and hygiene.
• Gradual development of dysfunction, especially in job performance or school work.
• Absenteeism (particularly on Monday).
• Unexplained bruises and accidents.
• Irritability.
• Flushed skin.
• Loss of memory (blackouts).
• Availability and consumption of alcohol becomes the focus of social or professional activities.
• Changes in peer-group associations and friendships.
• Impaired interpersonal relationships (troubled marriage, unexplainable termination of deep relationships, alienation from close family members).

FOUNDATIONAL PLAN

In a letter from Mark L. Earley, Attorney General, dated September 16, 1998, he stresses that the prevalence of alcohol abuse across campuses is phenomenal.  Stating findings from the landmark 1994 Harvard School of Public Health national report on college binge drinking, this letter indicates that binge drinking continues largely on American campuses today.  One-third more college drinkers consumed alcohol to get drunk in 1997 than did in 1993.  The good news is that more students now abstain from alcohol than did in 1993.

Based on overwhelming data, a Task Force on Drinking by College Students was formed to reduce binge and illegal drinking on Virginia's campuses.  JMU has created a "Foundational Plan" to reduce alcohol abuse on our campus through objectives setup by the Foundational Plan Committee.  These objectives are:

•  Objective I.A.
Develop a campus and community-wide program to introduce Social Marketing concepts and strategies using materials developed by appropriate national organizations such as the BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network for National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.

•  Objective I.B.
1999-2000 Alcohol Awareness Week at JMU to be based upon Social Marketing Plan outcomes from Objective II.A.

•  Objective I.C.
To focus attention on the negative effects and implications of substance abuse upon the secondary victims of these unhealthy behaviors.

•  Objective II.A.
Spend 1998-1999 collecting and analyzing data to develop a JMU campus-community Social Marketing Campaign utilizing a Social Norming approach.  Students will be involved in all levels of development and implementation.  Data collection methods to include core survey and focus groups with representatives from key student organizations including, but not limited to, SGA, Residence Hall Association, Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, Black Student Alliance, and Students for Minority Outreach.

•  Objective II.B.
Implementation of the JMU specific Social Marketing Campaign.  To include the active participation of students, faculty, staff, and local community.

•  Objective III.A.
Continue collaboration between campus community, local student housing providers, and alcohol retailers to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and enlist suggestions that enhance the JMU Social Marketing Campaign articulated in Objective II.B.

•  Objective IV.A.
Continue to identify, develop, and publicize non-alcohol social activities on the JMU campus and in the local community.

•  Objective V.A.
Continue to utilize and evaluate the IMPACT Program along with other judicial sanctions relating to alcohol code violations.

•  Objective VI.A.
Continue to support JMU Campus Police as they act as liaisons between JMU, local ABC representatives, and city/state/county police.  Include JMU Campus Police in the collecting and analyzing of data in the implementation of the JMU Social Marketing Campaign.

•  Objective VII.A.
A yearly progress report to the Board of Visitors on the Attorney General's Task Force Recommendations.

TERMINOLOGY

Alcohol: a colorless, volatile, and pungent liquid found in fermented liquors such as beer, wine, wine coolers, champagne, and liquors.  It is a depressant to the central nervous system.

Alcohol Abuse:  is a pattern of problem drinking that results in health consequences, social problems, or both.

Alcoholism:  is a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations.

Binge Drinking:  is defined as consumption of five or more drinks on a single occasion - which is approximately the amount of alcohol needed to raise the average sized person's blood alcohol concentration to about 0.10%.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC):   is the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream.

Cirrhosis:  is probably the most recognized medical complication of chronic alcoholism.  It is a grave and irreversible condition characterized by a progressive replacement of healthy liver tissue with scars, which can lead to liver failure and death.

Enabler:  is someone who, without intent, helps to support the abusive behavior of the person who uses.   An example would be someone who tries to shield the user from the full consequences of their behavior.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS):   is an irreversible condition associated with excessive consumption of alcohol by a pregnant woman.

Fortified Wines:  are wines that have had additional alcohol added to raise their alcohol content.

Intoxication:  occurs when the brain is exposed to alcohol and other drugs resulting in temporary changes in mood, judgment, cognitive functioning, motor functioning, and behavior characteristic of the particular drug.

Wine Coolers:  also known as "wine foolers," are mixtures of wine and fruit juice, based upon the "Sangria" punches that were popular in Europe.  These pre-mixed punches are about 1.5 times more potent than the typical American beer.