CU-Boulder named 'druggiest' college in America in Daily Beast/Newsweek report

Garrett Kramer smokes a blunt at the 4/20 event on Norlin Quad at the University of Colorado on April 20, 2010. (MARK LEFFINGWELL / CAMERA FILE PHOTO)

The University of Colorado is the "druggiest" school in America, according to a report from the Daily Beast and Newsweek, which cited a large number of drug arrests on the campus and peer pressure to use drugs.

The rankings put CU at the top of a list of 30 schools based on a grade of "C-" for drug safety, 801 reported drug arrests on the campus during the study period and 27.3 percent of people ages 18-25 statewide who are regular drug users. CU placed fifth in the same survey in 2010.

The safety grade was taken from College Prowler, a college search website, and CU's low grade "indicates that there is more peer pressure to use prescribed medications and illegal drugs, and that illegal drugs are generally more noticeable," according to the report.

As for drug arrests, CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard said the school mistakenly was counting drug arrests with multiple charges as multiple drug arrests in the report it sent to the U.S. Department of Education, where the Daily Beast got its numbers. The actual number of drug arrests in 2010 was 351, less than half the 801 initially reported but still more than twice the 137 reported in 2009.

"The bottom line is in a study like this, it doesn't matter if we're No. 1 or No. 10, we don't want to be in any kind of ranking like this," Hilliard said. "These kinds of stories around partying and drug and alcohol use, which some students think are funny, are not that funny and they're not that great for their reputation ... and the value of a CU degree."

Hilliard said the increase in drug-related arrests is reflective of the university's "concerted effort" to step up enforcement of drug offenses, as well as the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries in Boulder.

"What you've got are two factors that converged," Hilliard said. "Is that telling us anything we didn't already know? The answer is 'no.'"

CU, he added, has made efforts to better train housing officials and reach out to new students about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.

"On every front you look at, we feel like we're moving ahead," Hilliard said. "We're perfectly aware of this problem and we've taken more measures to work against it in the last five years than in any time in the university's history."

Many students said CU does not have any more of a drug problem than other universities.

"I think if you look at any school, you are going to find a drug culture," said CU senior Steve Moigi. "In the end, it depends on the individual person."

Helena Austin, a freshman, said she thinks CU has a stigma that contributes to its high rankings on lists of party and drug schools.

"I think it's more of a reputation thing because of the whole 4/20 event," she said. "They just say everyone does drugs, but I think most people here actually don't."

CU's administration has said it wants to remove 4/20, which brings thousands of pot smokers to the Norlin Quad every year. But students say removing the event would be more about changing the university's perception than curbing drug use.

"A lot of the people who come here for 4/20 don't even go to the university," said CU junior Steven Lowi. "But it definitely will help us to get rid of our reputation."

Joining CU at the top of the rankings were Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H.

Camera staff reporter Heath Urie contributed to this report.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Mitchell Byars at 303-473-1329 or byarsm@dailycamera.com.

Source: http://www.coloradodaily.com/cu-news/ci_19449456?source=rss_viewed

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