In a 2021 assessment, the average age college students reported initiating the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs was 16 to 20 years. Negative effects of college substance use included skipped classes, poor test performance, memory loss, and suicidal thoughts.
The mission of the Arkansas Collegiate Network is to empower campus leaders to be effective in their efforts to address substance misuse among college students.
The Network provides planning guides and educational materials that raise awareness of risks involved with substance use and enable students to respond to overdoses.
Participating institutions receive overdose response training and are equipped with naloxone (or Narcan) overdose reversal medication. The Network installs “Naloxboxes,” smart cabinets that contain naloxone doses, in strategic locations on campuses.
Representatives from each campus are encouraged to attend the Save AR Student Kickoff events at the Arkansas State Capitol.
For more details about Arkansas Collegiate Network activities, download their 2022 Planning Guide.
