The Alcohol & Drug Education Program provides opportunities for students to receive appropriate support, reflect on current choices, and learn about strategies for making lower-risk choices around substance use at Boston College.
Our Approach
The Alcohol and Drug Education Program is a comprehensive, community-based effort focused on creating significant shifts in the culture/environment to encourage and support appropriate norms around drinking and challenge attitudes and behaviors related to other drug use.
Philosophy
In the Center for Student Wellness we believe in a non-judgemental, holistic, harm reduction approach to substance use. We help students to reflect on their choices and how their use or non-use affects all areas of individual and community wellbeing. Every student deserves to feel respected, safe, and comfortable in all spaces across campus. If students choose to use, we encourage them to practice low-risk strategies, seek support, and stay healthy and safe.
Intervention Programs
If you need to register or want more information about one of the programs below, please stop by Gasson 013 or email adeprogram@bc.edu to schedule an appointment.
- ChooseWell 1.1: ChooseWell 1:1 is a peer facilitated wellness session focusing on the impact of alcohol use on the individual as well as on the Boston College community. Peer wellness coaches use a holistic, open and non-judgmental approach to help students better understand, reflect and plan in regards to their alcohol use. Students completing a ChooseWell 1:1 conversation should also complete the Online Alcohol Screening
- BASICS: Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students is an evidence based educational approach designed to help students make healthier choices regarding alcohol use decisions and gain skills to moderate their drinking. It takes place in (2) 60 minute sessions
- BASICS Booster: One session to follow up and review, reflect and adjust goals set during the BASICs program.
- Substance Use Assessment: One time meeting with a counselor from the Alcohol and Drug Education Program. A student sanctioned to a Substance Abuse Assessment must comply with the recommendations provided by the counselor.
- Alcohol Intervention Meeting (AIM): An individual session with a counselor that helps students identify and implement safer, healthier choices regarding alcohol and drug use.
- CODE (Cannabis and Other Drug Education): Cannabis and Other Drug Education is a one hour group designed to provide education and discussion around cannabis use.
- Cannabis Assessment: A Cannabis Assessment consists of one individual appointment with a staff member from the Alcohol and Drug Education program. Additionally, you must comply with all recommendations made as a result of your participation in the program.
- ICS Individual Cannabis Session: An individual session that provides an opportunity to help students identify and implement safer, healthier choices regarding cannabis use. The sessions focus on self-awareness, personal responsibility, self-motivation, and the identification and restoration of personal values that have been affected by cannabis use. Number of sessions to be determined during Cannabis Assessment.
- Individual Voluntary Consultations: ADE offers free and confidential consultations by appointment. These sessions typically last 50 minutes and provide students with an opportunity to explore their relationships with alcohol and other drugs or to discuss concerns for friends, partners, and family members. Please stop by Gasson 013 or email adeprogram@bc.edu to schedule an appointment.
NOTE: There is a $50 fee assessed to students referred to BASICS, BASICS Booster, CODE, or Cannabis Assessment as part of a disciplinary sanction, and a $100 fee for students sanctioned to complete AIM, ICS,or a Substance Abuse Assessment. Services are free to those who self-refer or are help-seeking to any of the services provided by the Alcohol and Drug Education Program.
Prevention and Community-Wide Programs
For more information about the programs below, please visit our Events page.
- Gambling/Gaming support: Struggling with gambling, Online sports betting or excessive video game playing? You’re not alone. Help is available. Email Judy Oxford at oxfordju@bc.edu or stop into Gasson 013 for more information on resources.
- ACA Group: Alcohol and other drugs can impact a family in a number of ways. If you experienced an environment where emotional disconnect, neglect, or trauma was present, it could influence and affect how you deal with all aspects of your life. ACA is not therapy but provides a safe, nonjudgmental environment that allows us to share these experiences so that we can find strength, hope, compassion, and understanding. If you would like to join in a virtual meeting, please contact Tim Burke, MSW, LICSW, LADC1, at burketm@bc.edu
Resources
Key Messages
Understand how substances work, the effects on your wellbeing, the alternative options for using.
Reflect and respect yours and other reasons for using or not using; our choices impact the community.
If you choose to use, practice safer use to reduce harm.
Check in with yourself and others, access and offer support.
Take A Closer Look
PrintEducating yourself on the potential effects of drugs and alcohol can help keep you—and your friends—safe. Click on each topic to learn more.
Know Your BAC
What is BAC and how do you calculate it?
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is the amount of alcohol present in your blood as you drink. Keep in mind that your body processes alcohol at a constant rate of .5 oz per hour, regardless of how many ounces you consume. Therefore, the faster you drink, the higher your blood alcohol level will be.
12 oz of beer = 1 drink
5 oz of wine = 1 drink
.1.5 oz of liquor = 1 drink
Track your BAC by downloading the BACcards.com app or https://www.alcohol.org/bac-calculator/ (for Android).
* BC has purchased a subscription to this app in order to make it free for all members of our community. By providing your BC credentials you will have access to the app for free as well as campus resources. The information you enter is not shared with BC.
The Effects of BAC
For non tolerant drinkers, the relationship between BAC and the effects experienced is predictable, as shown in the chart below. At low to moderate BACs (.02-.07), the effects of alcohol are mainly pleasant, although some impairment is present. As BAC increases, the effects of alcohol become progressively more unpleasant and dangerous.
| BAC | Predictable Effects |
| .02%-.04% | Lightheaded: Relaxation, sensation of warmth, "high," minor impairment of judgment |
| .05%-.07% | Buzzed: Relaxation, euphoria, lower inhibitions, minor impairment of reasoning and memory, exaggerated emotions (good and bad) |
| .08%-.10% | Legally Impaired: Euphoria, fatigue, impairment in balance, speech, vision, reaction time and hearing, judgment, and self-control are impaired |
| .11%-.15% | Drunk: "High" reduced and depressive effects (anxiety, depression, or unease) more pronounced, gross motor impairment, judgment and perception severely impaired |
| .16%-.19% | Very Drunk: Strong state of depression, nausea, disorientation, dizzy, increased motor impairment, blurred vision, judgment further impaired |
| .20%-.24% | Dazed and Confused: Gross disorientation to time and place, increased nausea and vomiting, may need assistance to stand/walk, impervious to pain, blackout likely |
| .25%-.30% | Stupor: All mental, physical, and sensory functions are severely impaired, accidents very likely, little comprehension, may pass out suddenly |
| .31% and up | Coma: Level of surgical amnesia, onset of coma, possibility of acute alcohol poisoning, death due to respiratory arrest is likely in 50 percent of drinkers |
About Tolerance
A drinker who has tolerance to alcohol needs a higher BAC than a non tolerant drinker to expereince the same effects shown in the chart. If your BAC has to be higher than shown above to experience the same effects, you are probably tolerant to alcohol. Alcohol tolerance is dangerous because physical damage and impairment are occurring without your knowledge.
Adopted from CHOICES, 2010. The Change Companies, Marlatt & Parks
Tobacco
How cigarettes affect the body: watch video
There are many known health risks clearly linked to tobacco use. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, and 69 of them are known carcinogens – substances that can cause cancer in living tissues.
Smoking cigarettes harms almost every organ in our bodies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Known health risks of smoking and tobacco use include:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Lung cancer, emphysema and bronchitis
- Type 2 diabetes
- Many other forms of cancer
One of every three deaths by cancer in the U.S. could be prevented by quitting smoking. Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of more than 480,000 deaths each year in the U.S. – that’s the entire metropolitan population of cities such as Long Beach, Atlanta, Miami, Oakland or Cleveland. It’s also the cause of more preventable deaths than combined deaths attributed to HIV, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, motor vehicle accidents and firearms.
Chew/Dip
Smokeless doesn’t mean it’s safe. Chew (sometimes called dip) causes many forms of cancer, the American Cancer Society reports. Chew users are exposed to as many as 30 carcinogenic chemicals. Health risks include cancer of the mouth, tongue, cheek and gums, esophagus and pancreas, as well as high blood pressure, heart disease and increased risk of stroke.
One can of chew can contain as much nicotine as 80 cigarettes, the National Spit Tobacco Education Program reports.
There are huge rewards for quitting including a four to seven time decrease in risk of developing oral cancers, and decreased instances of receding gum line, gingivitis, and pre-cancerous lesions of the mouth.
Resources:
Center for Student Wellness: Gasson Hall 013 | 617-552-9900 | oxfordju@bc.edu
- Information and resources on website
- 1:1 wellness coaching sessions to explore use
- Individual smoking cessation coaching sessions
- Smoking cessation groups
University Health Services: 2150 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-552-3225
UHS is available for brief counseling and advice on medications that can be used to help with nicotine dependence. Please make an appointment with Dr. Scott Jusseaume.
Massachusetts Smokers Helpline: Free, confidential telephone information,referral and counseling 1-800 TRY TO STOP(879-8678)
QuitWorks: Members of Boston College are eligible for free, telephone-based coaching sessions to quit smoking, vaping, or using nicotine products. They can also receive a free supply of tobacco-treatment medication (gum, patches, or lozenges). For details and to enroll, visit Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program (MTCP).
Alcohol Poisoning
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
If you notice someone experiencing any of these signs or symptoms it is imperative to get medical attention right away.
Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning include:
- A person is passed out and cannot be awakened
- A person has cold, clammy, or bluish skin color
- A person has slow or irregular breaths that are less than eight breaths per minute OR more than 10 seconds in between breaths
- A person is vomiting and does not wake up
If you are concerned, always call for help!
BCPD: 617-552-4444
Health Services: 617-552-3225
Your health and safety is important to us. If you see someone exhibiting these signs, please get help! Or, if you feel you need help, get it!
In situations where students receive assistance due to alcohol intoxication or drug ingestion, we support and encourage this help-seeking behavior by treating it as a healthy and safety matter, not as a conduct matter. Don't avoid seeking help because you're afraid of getting yourself or someone else in trouble. Both you and the person you call for are covered by the help-seeking policy. It's more important to us that you are safe.
Read the full policy: BC.edu/helpseeking
When is it problem drinking?
Do You Have a Problem?
Moderate Drinkers Typically:
- Drink slowly (no fast gulping)
- Know when to stop drinking (do not drink to get drunk)
- Eat before or while drinking
- Never drive after drinking
- Respect nondrinkers
- Know and obey laws related to drinking
Problem Drinkers:*
- Frequently drink to get drunk
- Try to "solve" problems by drinking
- Experience personality changes—may become loud, angry, violent OR silent, remote, reclusive
- Drink when they should not—before driving or going to class/work
- Cause other problems—harm themselves, family, friends or strangers
People Addicted to Alcohol Typically:*
- Spend a lot of time thinking about drinking and plannign where and when to get the next drink
- Keep bottles hidden for quick pick-me-ups
- Start drinking without conscious planning and lose awareness of the amount consumed
- Deny drinking
- Often drink alone
- Feel they need to drink before facing a stressful situation
- May have "blackouts" - cannot remember what they did while drinking although they may have appeared "normal" to people at the time
- Miss work or skip class as a result of hangovers or choosing to drink
- Go from having hangovers to more dangerous withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremors ("DTs"), which can be fatal
- Have or cause major problems with police, employer, family or friends
*If you have experienced any of the symptoms in the last two categories, it may be time to ask for some help with your drinking.
Here are some resources for help:
Alcohol and Drug Education Program
Gasson 013
617-552-9900
Center for Student Wellness
Gasson 025
617-552-9900
University Counseling Services
Gasson 001
617-552-3310
University Health Services
2150 Commonwealth Avenue
617-552-3225
Alcoholics Anonymous
www.aa.org
Alcohol Screening
Online Alcohol Screening
Source: www.acha.org
Low-Risk Strategies
Minimize Your Risk
- Keep track of how much you drink by counting "standard drinks"
- Set a drinking limit near or below a BAC of .05
- Use a buddy system and have a plan in mind before attending an event
- Avoid using alcohol with any prescription or stimulant drugs
- Space your drinks over time
- Never leave drinks unattended
- Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
- Eat before and while you are drinking
- Be cautious when drinking liquor or mixed drinks due to their potency
- Mix and measure your own drinks
*Drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal and against campus policy. Please keep in mind that consuming alcohol under 21 is a high-risk choice. If you choose to drink, the strategies above can help you stay safe.
Cannabis
The Effects of Cannabis
The active chemical in cannabis is tetrahydro-cannabinol, commonly known as THC. Cannabis can be categorized as a depressant, a hallucinogen, or a stimulant. As a result, it is difficult to detect how one will react after using.
Cannabis use can affect:
Concentration
Short and long term memory
Ability to learn
Alertness
Coordination
Sleep (interrupts REM for several days after use)
New research suggests that cannabis effects can last up to three days
Other considerations:
Heavy cannabis users may experience higher deficits in these areas
It can take longer for the adolescent (15-19) brain to recover from the deficits of cannabis use
For those predisposed to developing a mental illness, cannabis can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia
Although individuals may report a decrease in anxiety and depression as a result of using cannabis in the short term, it still has the potential to become worse with long-term use and ultimately be used as a coping mechanism for managing anxiety and depression.
Heavy cannabis use can lead to dependence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that 30% of cannabis users may have some degree of cannabis use disorder.
Withdrawal symptoms may include irritability, sleepiness, anxiety, decreased appetite, and cravings for cannabis. These symptoms begin the first day of abstinence, peak on day 2-3, and substide 1-2 weeks after last use.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription Drug Risks
The misuse of prescription drugs includes:
- Using higher doses or more frequently than prescribed
- Taking medication prescribed to someone else
- Alternating the delivery of the medication (e.g. crushing and snorting)
- Using a prescription medication to get high
| Examples | Method of Action | Potential Effects of Misuse | |
| Stimulants | Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Dexedrine, medications prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Energy drinks are also categorized as stimulants because they contain substances that are intended to produce the effects of a stimulant. | Increases alertness, attention and energy, elevates blood pressure, increases heart rate and respiration |
|
| Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants | Valium and Xanax. Sometimes referred to as sedatives and tranquilizers. Used for treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders | Slow down the brain’s activity. Produces a drowsy or calming feeling. |
|
| Opioids | Codeine, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Percocet. Prescription narcotics prescribed for post surgical pain relief and management of acute and chronic pain. | Attach to receptors in the brain that block the perception of pain |
|
Vaping
Vaping
Understand How Vaping Works:
Watch Video
E-Cigarettes do not just release vapor.
This vapor contains nicotine, metals, and toxins found in second-hand smoke
While e-cigarettes do contain fewer chemicals than cigarettes, they still contain some of the same chemicals, such as formaldehyde.
Vaping liquids and aerosol can contain greater levels of metals than cigarettes.
Harmful ingredients include:
- ultrafine particles that can be inhaled into the lungs
- flavorants such as diacetyl, which is linked to serious lung disease
- volatile organic compounds
- heavy metals, such as nickel, tin, and lead
- Brain development occurs throughout early life into adolescence, to about age 25.
- Nicotine exposure, including use or passive smoking, can lead to addiction or can affect brain development.
Resources for more information:
University Health Services: 2150 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-552-3225
UHS is available for brief counselling visits about vaping and advice on medications that can be used to help with nicotine dependence. Please make an appointment with Dr. Scott Jusseaume.
Center for Student Wellness: Judy Oxford, Associate Director | oxfordju@bc.edu | Online resources through Alcohol and Drug Education Office website | Gasson 013 | 617-552-9900
My Life, My Quit™: Text "Start My Quit" to 855-891-9989 or call toll-free 1-855-891-9989, https://www.mylifemyquit.com/
This is Quitting: text “VapeFreeMass” to 88709 | Flyer | https://truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting
CDC and Other Government Agencies: provide “the bottom line” on vaping through online resources