Student Affairs

27 / 58

27
Alcohol and Other Drug Use
As students arrive on campus, it is a time of new experiences, new friendships and making
memories. This is a very exciting time, but it is also a time of concern for many families. For
some students, the transition to college is linked to a new relationship with alcohol and other
drugs. This relationship involves personal decision making associated with alcohol and other
drug use, framed by new community norms and perceived expectations. As a family member,
you can help your student make responsible decisions about alcohol use and to reduce the
risks associated with high-risk drinking.
We encourage you to engage in conversations around alcohol and other drug use and
misuse with your student. Discuss risk factors associated with misuse of alcohol and other
drugs, campus and community resources and promote safety through preventative actions.
Research shows families can have a significant influence on their student’s alcohol decisions.
Having regular, open conversations about alcohol and other drug use with your student can
help themmake positive decisions around alcohol and other drugs. Starting a conversation
can be as simple as asking your student about their friends and weekend plans.
When talking with your student, it is important to understand alcohol and other drug use
among college students and the consequences of misuse. Although it may seem like alcohol
is commonly used among college students, in a 2019 survey of new students at Clemson
University, 39% of respondents reported abstaining from alcohol use and an additional 26%
were classified as nondrinkers (having not consumed alcohol in the past two weeks). Negative
consequences associated with alcohol and drug use include injury, sexual assaults, mental
health concerns, substance dependence, automobile accidents, police involvement and poor
academic performance. Families and students should familiarize themselves with Clemson’s
policies and risk-reduction strategies related to alcohol and other drugs.
Clemson is committed to maintaining an environment that is healthy, safe and attractive
for all members of the community. Clemson University offers many different resources
for students related to alcohol and other drugs. These include educational activities from
Healthy Campus, counseling and support groups through Counseling and Psychological
Services (CAPS), and substance-free events through Campus Life. If you begin to have
concerns about your student’s alcohol or other drug use, you can refer them to self-
assessment tools through Healthy Campus or the Assessment, Consequences, Training and
Transition (ACTT) program through CAPS. ACTT offers psychoeducational groups for alcohol
misuse and therapy groups for marijuana use and other addictions. In addition, students may
need to participate in individual therapy to address alcohol and other drug use focused on
increasing self-understanding and moving toward healthier lifestyles. For more information
about the ACTT program and self-assessment tools, visit and look to
the right navigation bar.
Healthy Campus
We strive for Clemson University to be a national model of health, safety and sustainability
and for our students to experience a way of life at Clemson University that contributes to
their lifelong health and well-being. Healthy Campus strives to achieve this by providing
exemplary leadership and advocacy for public health, engaged learning activities and
population-level interventions.
Healthy Campus offers information and presentations focused on but not limited to the
following areas both online and as requested: alcohol and other drugs, anxiety, body image,
building social connections, depression, eating disorders, empathy, fitness, interpersonal
violence, mental health, mindfulness, nutrition, safety on social media, sexual health,
sleep, stress, sustainability, tobacco and other health-related topics. Two major educational
activities organized by Healthy Campus for new students are AlcoholEdu and Aspire to Be
Well. AlcoholEdu is a web requirement for new students to complete through Orientation.
In this online educational activity, students learn about the mental and physical effects of