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Alcohol and Other Drugs

Overview

The University is concerned about your health and safety. Abuse of alcohol and controlled substances can seriously impair your health and your ability to work and study. It may cause you to endanger the safety and well-being of others.

The University promotes an environment on campus that rejects substance abuse as unacceptable life style, informs you about resources for preventing or treating substance abuse, and helps you make healthy decisions about alcohol and other drugs.

Prevention of substance abuse is sought in several ways: by promoting accurate information on drug-use issues, by encouraging healthy use of leisure time through recreation and other activities, by enhancing skills for dealing with stress, and by working through campus leaders and influencers to establish a healthy environment.

This information was prepared in accordance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989. It describes the health risks and legal sanctions associated with alcohol and other drugs. It outlines the University’s standard of conduct and disciplinary actions taken against students or employees who violate that standard. And it suggests resources for educational information, counseling, or treatment.
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How does drug use affect health?

Adverse health effects can range from nausea and anxiety to coma and death. There are risks associated with the chronic use of all psychoactive drugs, including alcohol. A pregnant woman who uses alcohol, cigarettes, or other drugs exposes her fetus to serious risks, including miscarriage, low birth weight, or brain damage.

Substance abuse may involve not only controlled substances and illegal drugs but also alcohol and other substances that pose a health risk. Described below are some of the health effects of alcohol and other drugs. Please note that when drugs are used in combination, their negative effects on the mind and body are often multiplied beyond the effects of the same drugs taken singly.
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Alcohol

Alcohol is the drug most frequently abused on college campuses and in our society. Even small amounts of alcohol significantly impair the judgment and coordination required to drive a car, increasing your chances of having an accident. Consumption of alcohol may be an interacting factor in the incidence of aggressive acts, including date rape and spouse and child abuse. Moderate to large amounts of alcohol severely impair your ability to learn and remember information. Because alcohol is a depressant, very large amounts can cause respiratory and cardiac failure, resulting in death.
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Cannabis

Marijuana and hashish impair short-term memory and comprehension of the user. They can cause confusion, anxiety, lung damage, and abnormalities of the hormonal and reproductive system. Hours after the feeling of getting high fades, the effects of cannabis on coordination and judgment may remain, heightening the risks involved in driving or performing other complex tasks. Cannabis, a fat-soluble substance, may remain in the body system for weeks. An overdose may bring about paranoia, panic attacks, or psychiatric problems.
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Club Drugs

The term “club drugs” refers to a wide variety of drugs including MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, rohypnol, ketamine, methamphetamine, and LSD. Club drugs are being used at raves, dance clubs, and bars. No club drug is safe due to variations in purity, potency, and concentration. Research indicates that these drugs can cause serious health problems or even death. They can have even more serious consequences when mixed with alcohol. Club drugs are also occasionally used or administered in connection with sexual assault.
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Depressants

Barbiturates, benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium), Quaaludes, and other depressants cause disorientation, slurred speech, and other behaviors associated with drunkenness. The effects of an overdose of depressants range from shallow breathing, clammy skin, dilated pupils, and weak and rapid pulse to coma and death.
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Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens such as LSD, MDA, PCP (angel dust), mescaline, and peyote can cause powerful distortions in perception and thinking. Intense and often unpredictable emotional reactions can trigger panic attacks or psychotic reaction. An overdose of hallucinogens can cause heart failure, lung failure, coma, and death.
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Narcotics

Heroin, codeine, morphine, methadone, and opium are narcotics. There is a high likelihood of developing a physical and psychological dependence on these drugs. Health effects include anxiety, mood swings, nausea, confusion, constipation, and respiratory depression. Overdose may lead to convulsions, coma, and death. The risk of being infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, or other diseases increases significantly if you inject drugs and share needles.
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Stimulants

Cocaine, amphetamines, and other stimulants can cause agitation, loss of appetite, irregular heartbeat, chronic sleeplessness, and hallucinations. Cocaine and crack cocaine are extremely dangerous and psychologically and physically addictive. An overdose can result in seizures and death.
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Tobacco

Nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco, increases your heart rate and raises your blood pressure. The tar in cigarette smoke is a major cause of cancer and other respiratory problems. The carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke can promote arteriosclerosis. Long-term effects of smoking cigarettes may include emphysema, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, and lung cancer.
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What are the University’s policies regarding drug use by students and employees?

The University of Illinois is committed to maintaining a drug- and alcohol-free environment for its students and employees, in compliance with applicable federal and state laws. Students or employees who violate federal or state laws concerning drugs or alcohol are subject to criminal prosecution; those who violate University policies may also be subject to institutional sanctions. No one under the age of 21 (twenty-one) may store, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages on any property under the control of the University of Illinois, including certified housing. Persons of legal drinking age—21 years of age or older—may possess or consume alcoholic beverages only in areas or at functions specifically designated or approved for such use.

The unlawful or unauthorized possession, use, distribution, dispensation, sale, or manufacture of controlled substances or alcohol is prohibited on University property or as part of any University activity. Students will also be subject to disciplinary action for violations of the alcohol or drug policies which occur off campus or on private property. Employees or students who violate this policy may be disciplined in accordance with University policies, statutes, rules, regulations, employment contracts, and labor agreements, up to and including dismissal and referral for prosecution. The University may involve/contact the parents of students under the age of 21 for violations of the Student Code.
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I’m a University employee. For what actions may I be disciplined?

Employees are subject to disciplinary action, including discharge, for unauthorized consumption of intoxicating liquors on institutional time or property; inability to perform satisfactorily their assigned duties as a result of drinking alcoholic beverages; illegal or excessive use of drugs, narcotics, or intoxicants; or unauthorized sale or distribution of drugs, narcotics, or intoxicants.

If you have a problem with controlled substances or alcohol, please seek professional advice and treatment. You may seek help with your problem or obtain a list of counseling, rehabilitation, and assistance programs confidentially by calling the Faculty/Staff Assistance Program at 217-244-5312. In some cases, your supervisor may direct you to request this information.
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Are University employees subject to drug and alcohol testing?

Drug testing may be required in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and contracts. For example, if you are engaged in work under a federal contract, you may be required to submit to tests for illegal use of controlled substances as provided by the law or regulations of the contracting agency.

If you perform safety-sensitive job functions that require you to possess a commercial driver’s license as a condition of University employment, you will be subject to alcohol and controlled substances testing as mandated by Department of Transportation regulations.
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What if I’m convicted of a drug or alcohol offense that took place at work?

You must notify your supervisor within five days. If you are an employee working on a federal contract or grant and you are convicted of a drug or alcohol offense occurring in the workplace, the University will notify the granting or contracting federal agency within ten days of receiving notice of your conviction. Employees convicted of a drug or alcohol offense involving the workplace may be required to complete a drug rehabilitation program in order to continue employment at the University.
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I’m a student. What happens if I violate the University’s drug policy?

Students who illegally possess, use, distribute, sell, or manufacture drugs are subject to University disciplinary action and may be dismissed from the University. The standard disciplinary response to students who are found to be distributing illegal drugs is dismissal for not less than two years.

The University provides educational programs and counseling to students who are substance abusers or who are affected by the substance abuse of others. For confidential help with these problems, contact the Counseling Center at 217-333-3704 or the Office of the Dean of Students at 217-333-0050.
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What Illinois laws apply to alcohol and drug use?

In Illinois, it is against the law to sell or deliver alcohol to anyone under 21 (twenty-one), or to any intoxicated person [235 ILCS 5/6-16]. Violations can result in fines of up to $1,000 and one year in jail. It is also illegal for a person under 21 to present false identification in an attempt to purchase alcohol.

Legislation signed by the Governor provides further penalties: (1) The Secretary of State is authorized to suspend or revoke without a hearing the driver’s license or instruction permit of a person under 21 who has purchased or attempted to purchase alcohol from a duly licensed establishment or who has consumed alcohol on licensed premises. (2) Local liquor commissioners have the duty to report to the Secretary of State any conviction for a violation of the Liquor Control Act, or a similar provision of a local ordinance, prohibiting a person under 21 from purchasing, accepting, possessing, or consuming alcohol and prohibiting the transfer or alteration of identification cards, the use of the identification card of another or a false or forged identification card, or the use of false information to obtain an identification card. (3) The Secretary of State is authorized to suspend or revoke the driver’s license or learner’s permit of any person convicted of violating any of the prohibitions listed above in “(2)” or similar provisions of local ordinances.

Substantial penalties exist in Illinois for the operation of a motor vehicle by a driver with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of .08 or greater. (A good guideline for ensuring that your concentration of alcohol remains within legal limits is to consume no more than one drink—i.e., 1 ounce of spirits, 4 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer—per hour.) Arrests are also possible at lower alcohol levels if driving is impaired. The first offense can result in a $1,000 fine, incarceration for up to one year, and suspension or revocation of the offender’s driver’s license. Subsequent offenses entail penalties of significantly greater severity. Transporting open alcohol containers in a motor vehicle is also punishable under Illinois law.

Possession and delivery of illicit drugs are prohibited in Illinois through the Cannabis Control Act [740 ILCS 40/0.01 et seq.] and the Controlled Substances Act [720 ILCS 570/100 et seq. and 720 ILCS 570/401 et seq.]. Penalties vary with the amount of the drug confiscated; the type of drug found; the number of previous offenses by the individual; and whether the individual intended to manufacture, sell, or use the drug. A first-time conviction of possession of a controlled substance can result in a one- to three-year prison sentence, plus a fine of up to $15,000. More severe penalties may be imposed for conviction of class 2, 3, or 4 felonies involving manufacture or delivery to a minor. Vehicles used with knowledge of the owner in the commission of any offense prohibited by the Cannabis Control Act or Controlled Substances Act can be seized by the government; all ownership rights are forfeited.
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And federal laws?

Under the revised federal sentencing guidelines, federal courts can sentence simple-possession first offenders to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Penalties for subsequent convictions are significantly greater [21 U.S.C. 844(a)]. A sentence of life imprisonment can result from a conviction for possession of a controlled substance that results in death or bodily injury. Possession of more than five grams of cocaine can trigger an intent-to-distribute penalty of 10 to 16 years in prison [U.S.S.G.S. 2D2.1(b)(1)].
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Where can I turn for help?

Several University and local services are available to help students and employees who have problems with alcohol or other drugs.

University Resources

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Community Resources

Be sure to check whether your health insurance, including student health insurance or your family’s health insurance, covers any charges for private therapists.

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Support Groups

There are no fees or dues for these groups, which meet anonymously to discuss and resolve members’ common problems.

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