Changing the culture of campus drinking

A project dedicated to changing the culture of drinking and other substance use among post-secondary students received a funding investment of $400,000 from the province this Feb.

Co-led by the University of Victoria’s Centre for Addictions Research (CARBC) and the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division, Changing the Culture of Substance Use (CCSU) is a long-term project that’s helping 11 campuses across BC access evidence about alcohol and substance use, assess the cultures on their campuses, decide on—and test—ways to influence their campus cultures, develop tools, and share those tools and experiences with other campuses.

“Culture is incredibly complex,” says Dan Reist, CARBC associate director. “We’ve already seen that life in residence shifts when campus communities openly discuss these issues and acknowledge different perspectives.”

According to the 2013 National College Health Assessment Canadian survey, among post-secondary students who reported drinking the last time they socialized, 26 per cent had seven or more drinks, and 39 per cent of students who drank alcohol in the last year said they later regretted something they did when drinking.

At UVic, one of the first initiatives under the CCSU funding was the ‘e-Check-Up to Go’ product—a personalized online tool to assess alcohol and marijuana risk factors.

More information about the project.