Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026
09:25
Assessment of Ultrasonic Vocalizations During Drug Self-administration in Rats
Published on: July 22, 2010
17.5K
Substance use and firearm access among college freshmen
Matthew E Rossheim1, Bita Khoshhal2, Samantha Karon3
1School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Journal of American College Health : J of ACH
|May 13, 2022
Summary
Over 10% of college students have rapid firearm access, strongly linked to binge drinking. This highlights the need for enhanced campus policies on alcohol and firearms to prevent harm.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Addiction Medicine
- Criminology
Background:
- Firearm access among college students is a growing concern.
- Understanding the link between substance use and firearm access is crucial for prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of rapid firearm access among college freshmen.
- To examine the association between rapid firearm access and recent alcohol and marijuana use.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 183 college freshmen in 2020.
- Logistic regression analysis to assess associations between substance use and firearm access within 15 minutes.
Main Results:
- Over 10% of students reported rapid firearm access.
- Rapid firearm access was significantly associated with binge drinking (AOR = 6.4) and being Non-Hispanic White (AOR = 4.1).
- Past 30-day marijuana use was not associated with rapid firearm access.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of college students possess rapid firearm access, with a strong correlation to binge drinking.
- Campus prevention strategies should integrate alcohol and firearm policies to mitigate risks of violence and self-harm.
Related Concept Videos
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
01:17Drug Dependence
Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...