Student Handbook

Information, Policies, and Programs for Alcohol & Other Drugs

The Office of Student Affairs & Activities provides leadership to the Foothill College community in reducing alcohol and other drug use and related negative consequences. The Office of Student Affairs & Activities administers and supports prevention, and education, and can refer intervention services that empower students to make informed choices about alcohol and other drugs. Our goal is to educate students about how to make lower-risk choices; emphasize health and safety issues related to alcohol and other drug use; encourage civility and community; and foster changes in the environment at Foothill College that will reduce the illegal and high-risk use of drugs and its related consequences. 

Marijuana

Marijuana is the most widely used illegal substance in the world today. It's also the most controversial.

According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 96.8 million (40.2%) Americans ages 12 and older have tried marijuana at least once during their lifetimes. About 25.5 million (10.6%) people reported past year marijuana use, and 14.6 million (6.1%) people reported past month use.

College students use marijuana at higher rates than the U.S. population generally. The Harvard School of Public Health, which has surveyed U.S. college students extensively every other year since 1989, reports that approximately 47% of U.S. college students have tried pot at least once. About 30% report past year use, and 17% report past month use.

TAKE THE MARIJUANA E-CHECKUP TO GO

For more information on the effects of marijuana use, visit the following site:

www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts#marijuana-cannabis- 

Other Substances

Most drugs of abuse can alter a person’s thinking and judgment, leading to health risks, including addiction, drugged driving and infectious disease. Most drugs could potentially harm an unborn baby; pregnancy-related issues are listed in the chart below for drugs where there is enough scientific evidence to connect the drug use to specific negative effects.

TAKE THE TOBACCO E-CHECKUP TO GO

For more information on other substances, please visit the following site:

www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/other-drugs

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Substance Misuse includes, but is not limited to:

 • Possession and/or use of any Federally Illegal Drug, or any possession or use of any prescription drug or other controlled substance except under the direction of a licensed physician. Marijuana, including Medical Marijuana, is prohibited on campus in all circumstances.

• Manufacture or distribution of any Federally Illegal Drug is prohibited, including Cannabis in any form.

• Being under the influence of any Federally Illegal Drug, prescription or non-prescription drug, or other controlled substance to the point of endangering one’s own health or safety regardless of age.

 • Any possession or use on Foothill College premises of paraphernalia used to facilitate the use of any Federally Illegal Drug or other controlled substance in violation of the Student Code of Conduct regardless of age. This includes but is not limited to marijuana pipes, bongs and scales or other measuring devices.

• Any act which causes a person to ingest any Federally Illegal Drug, prescription drug, or other controlled substance without their Effective Consent.

• Any violation of these Student Code of Conduct Policies while under the influence of any Federally Illegal Drug, prescription drug, or other controlled substance in violation of this policy regardless of age. 

Alcohol

Researchers estimate that each year:

• 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes.
• 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
• 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
• Roughly 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an AUD.
• About 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences from drinking, including missing class, falling behind in class, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.

TAKE THE ALCOHOL E-CHECKUP TO GO 

For more information on the effects of alcohol use, please visit the following site:

 www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts#alcohol

 

Alcohol Misuse includes, but is not limited to: 

• Possession and/or use of alcohol except as expressly permitted by law or Foothill College Policy. Alcoholic beverages may not be used by or possessed by any person under the legal drinking age (i.e., 21 years of age in the US).
• Manufacture and/or distribution of alcohol except as expressly permitted by law or Foothill College Policy. Alcoholic beverages may not be distributed to any person under the legal drinking age (i.e., 21 years of age in the US).
• Intoxication to the point of endangering one’s own health or safety regardless of age.
• Any act which causes a person to consume alcohol without their Effective Consent.
• Any possession or use on Foothill College Premises of paraphernalia used to facilitate the rapid consumption of alcohol. This includes but is not limited to beer bongs or similar items.
• Any violation of these Student Code of Conduct Policies while intoxicated regardless of age.  

Program & Services

The Office of Student Affairs & Activities at Foothill College offers a range of programs and services designed at reducing the negative consequences associated with high-risk drinking and other forms of substance abuse through prevention, education, intervention, policy development, and coordination with treatment providers. The Dean of Student Affairs & Activities collaborates with students and staff throughout the College to create a comprehensive substance abuse prevention program rooted in harm reduction and community public health, and focused on promoting health and safety among all Foothill students.

Here is a list of resources:

(On-Campus)

Individual Consultations: foothill.edu/psychservices/

(Online Resources)

Alcohol & Your Health provides medically accurate information about the effects of alcohol on the brain and body from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Facts about Alcohol Overdose (or Alcohol Poisoning) explains what happens in the body during an alcohol overdose, and how to help someone in an emergency.

Rethinking Drinking: Alcohol & Your Health offers tools to evaluate your drinking habits and make changes.

National Institute on Drug Abuse provides medically accurate information and scientific research about alcohol and other drugs, including marijuana.

National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence provides education, information, help, and hope to the public. It advocates prevention, intervention, and treatment through a nationwide network. 

Policy Violation Sanctions

For certain violations of the Student Code of Conduct the Dean of Student Affairs may sanction students to fee-based online courses related to alcohol and substance policies of the College offered through 3rd Millennium Classrooms. 

Marijuana 101: Marijuana 101 is consistently updated with the latest and strongest research available. Six lessons cover a variety of key issues such as marijuana dependence, marijuana's effects, mental health issues, synthetic marijuana, local laws and legalization issues, and legal penalties associated with use. Tailored to the individual, students receive a confidential personalized-feedback report that summarizes use and negative consequences, compares individual use with social norms, challenges personal expectations, and provides a range of strategies to quit.

Alcohol-Wise Intervention: Alcohol-Wise reduces risk and positively impacts campus culture. It educates about the harmful effects of alcohol, raises retention rates, and acts as a prevention tool for alcohol-related violations. Tailored to the individual, students receive personalized feedback, self-referral tools, and pre- and post-course assessments to measure behavior change and knowledge gain.

Other Drugs: The Other Drugs intervention program is for individuals charged with an alcohol or drug violations and focuses on opiates, stimulants, sedatives, ecstasy, and prescription drug misuse. The student begins this program by responding to a series of questions about their illicit drug or prescription drug use. Other Drugs is CONFIDENTIAL, and the student is not required to share their personalized feedback.