Increases in alcohol-related problems for men on a college campus between 1980 and 1992

A questionnaire concerning alcohol and drug use was mailed to a random sample of male students at the University of California at San Diego in 1980, and similar procedures were used in 1992. Both mailings yielded response rates of approximately 70% (1980: N = 1,024; 1992: N = 721). The data revealed that while the rates of illicit substance use and associated problems decreased significantly between the two time points, the quantity of alcohol consumed per occasion and the prevalence of alcohol-related problems significantly increased during those 12 years. These increases suggest a need for an expanded emphasis on alcohol education at colleges and universities.