Elsevier

The Lancet

Volume 348, Issue 9032, 5 October 1996, Pages 922-925
The Lancet

Articles
Alcohol and drug use in UK university students

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(96)03410-1Get rights and content

Summary

Background

Alcohol and illicit drug use are increasing among school children and young adults in the UK. Such increases have also been noted among university students and there is a need for a large survey across different universities and faculties. We report such a survey.

Methods

Information about drinking, use of cannabis and other illicit drugs, other lifestyle variables, and subjective ratings of anxiety and depression was obtained by questionnaire in a cross-faculty sample of 3075 second-year university students (1610 men, 1447 women, 18 sex not stated) from ten UK universities. The questionnaire was personally administered during scheduled lecture hours and almost all the students participated. The sample reflected the interfaculty and sex distribution and the proportion of non-white students at UK universities.

Findings

11% of the students were non-drinkers. Among drinkers, 61% of the men and 48% of the women exceeded “sensible” limits of 1 4 units per week for women and 21 for men. Hazardous drinking (3=36 units per week for women, 3=51 for men) was reported by 15% of the drinkers. Binge drinking was declared by 28% of drinkers. 60% of the men and 55% of the women reported having used cannabis once or twice and 20% of the sample reported regular cannabis use (weekly or more often). Experience with other illicit drugs was reported by 33% of the sample, most commonly LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), amphetamines, Ecstasy (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), and amyl/butyl nitrate which had each been used by 13–18% of students. 34% of these had used several drugs. Drug use had started at school in 46% of the sample; 13% began after entering university. The overwhelming reason given for taking alcohol or drugs was pleasure. Subjective ratings of anxiety on the hospital anxiety depression scale were high, and sleep difficulties were common, but neither related to alcohol or drug use.

Interpretation

There is a need for better education about alcohol, drugs, and general health in universities. Such education should include all faculties. It remains unclear whether university students' lifestyles are carried over into later life.

Introduction

One of the aims of the UK governnent's health-strategy paper1 is to reduce alcohol and recreational drug use, especially among the young. Yet drinking and drug-taking are increasing in schoolchildren and university students.26 Surveys7, 8 of second-year medical students at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1983–84 and 1993–94 indicated that drinking, cannabis use, and use of other illicit drugs had increased considerably. It seemed unlikely that this change was confined to medical students or one university, and a need for a nationwide study was suggested.8 We report the results of a survey on lifestyles in university students across the UK.

Section snippets

Recruitment

The survey was on second-year students from ten UK universities. Deans and heads of faculties of fourteen universities in England, Scotland, and Wales that had a medical school were initially approached by letter. Ten universities in which several faculties were willing to participate took part. Approval from local ethical committees was obtained when requested. Several universities agreed to participate only if not identified; hence none is named. Of the students surveyed, 3075 were randomly

Alcohol drinking

11% of both men and women did not drink (table 2). Among drinkers, “sensible” levels (1–14 units per week for women, and 1–21 for men11, 12 were exceeded by 61% of men and 48% of women. Hazardous drinking (36 or more units per week for women and 51 or more for men) were reported by 15% of drinkers (20% of the men, 10% of the women). “Binge drinking”, defined as drinking over half the “sensible” number of units per week in one session,13 was reported by 31% of men and 24% of women. The most

Discussion

Our main finding was that many university students, across faculties and throughout the UK, are drinking alcohol above sensible limits,11, 12 taking cannabis, and experimenting with other illicit drugs. The same trend has been observed among young people generally in the UK.26 Our sample of university students also had high levels of anxiety which did not relate to drinking or drug-taking, which was also reported in a more limited survey of Newcastle upon Tyne medical students.8

As with all

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