Three weeks after two CU students were arrested on suspicion of illegal sale of a prescription drug, the Conference on World Affairs panel “Addy, Oxy and Molly: College drug use” offered an extremely relevant discussion to the campus community, especially as finals approach.

On Tuesday, panelists Ross Haenfler and Howard Schultz talked about their personal experiences with drugs and interactions with drug users during college, while Sanho Tree gave the greater implications of drug use on people, especially students. Although all the they mentioned hard drugs, like heroin and cocaine, and other drugs, like marijuana, the panelists agreed that two main types of drugs are more detrimental, prescription drugs and alcohol.

“I thought it was interesting that all of them [the panelists] viewed alcohol as a drug,” senior accounting major Ellen Duchin, 21, said. “I think that’s something in our culture, especially in college, that we don’t think about.”

Although many of the panelists’ quips were met with laughter, the overall tone was serious. Our society has to rethink how we look at drugs, they said, prescription or otherwise. Since all of the panelists were decidedly anti-drug, some audience members were left desiring a counterpoint, which came in the questions portion.

Below are stand-out quotes from the “Addy, Oxy and Molly: College drug use” panel:

Moderator David Elm
Drug use, or, “as some people say on campus, better-living through chemistry.”

Haenfler
“We’re saying [prescription] drugs are the solution to everything, but we also have to be tough on [illegal] drugs. That’s not right.”

“I’m more concerned about the No. 1 drug on campus: alcohol.”

“Who do I want to deal with: someone who has the munchies and is giggling, or someone who’s… puking on my couch?”

Schultz
“I’m always asking why, when we’re in college, do we feel the need to do this? What are the pressures that kids are under today that they need drugs to do well in college?’”

“We’ve become accustomed to alchohol abuse in ways that we haven’t with drugs.”

“Enough of the platitudes like ‘Say no to drugs!’ We need a dialogue.”

Tree
“I always tell young people to get high on life, but some of them have built up a tolerance.”

“I wonder if self-medication isn’t a rational response to that insanity [in the world].”

“I would rather parents taught their kids to consume responsibly rather than fraternities.”

Contact CU Independent News Budget Editor Avalon Jacka at Avalon.jacka@colorado.edu.