By D.C. Morrow

In college, you were not in the minority if you dabbled in the world of illegal drugs, especially if underage smoking and drinking and the use of anabolic steroids are included in our definition of “illegal”. Legality, as it applies to drug use in college, has an interpretation different from that imposed by society at large. College personnel typically deal with substance abuse issues much like parents do, bringing in law enforcement agencies only as the last resort. For each other, students establish their own rather generous criteria for harmless levels of use. Even if those levels are exceeded, and a peer displays all the symptoms of addiction (you can substitute eating disorder here), intervention is unlikely. Most students rather cavalierly make statements like, “I believe that it is no one’s business what people do with their own bodies, unless it causes harm to others.” Bottom line … people can and do use drugs in college and nobody else cares.

Most employers don’t take such a liberal view toward substance use. I have friends who lost out on jobs because they did not pass drug tests. I’m not just referring to corporate jobs. One friend lost an $8 an hour job at a bike shop in Breckenridge in spite of heroic efforts to urinate clean. Underground stories are plentiful about teas and other concoctions that supposedly hide one’s chemical misdeeds. Drug screens are sophisticated and most substances of abuse linger in the body at detectable levels for days.

If substance abuse has cost you a promotion or a job, you’ve met one of the requirements for addiction. If you are taking offense at my saying so, you just added denial to your addiction checklist. If drug or alcohol use occupies many of your waking thoughts; disrupts social and family gatherings, not to mention occupational commitments; and produces cravings or even symptoms of withdrawal upon discontinuation, please get help. Addiction is not caused by weak will power. But it does take exceptional acts of will to overcome it.

If you are genuinely not addicted and yet drug use is jeopardizing your getting or keeping a job, this is foolhardy. You might lose more than your job. Your personal freedom is on the line. State drug laws make even first offenses punishable by incarceration.

Even isolated episodes of excessive drinking have some dangerous pitfalls. It is difficult to achieve a level of consciousness that sustains competence after a bender the night before. Calling into work with a hangover, not that most people give that as their reason, often is recognized for what it is. Once is forgivable, twice is irresponsible.

Making an ass of yourself at office outings because you have had a few too many can be hard to live down. Try to limit yourself to one adult beverage per hour, eat something along with what you are drinking, and periodically get on your feet and move around. If possible, drink beer or have wine to help monitor the potency. Mixed drinks or punches can contain alcohol amounts equivalent to multiple drinks. The moderation associated with the one drink per hour maximum should keep your blood alcohol level where you can safely and legally drive home.

DC Morrow is the author of Survival After College available directly from Selfhelpbooks.com
(c) Copyright 2003 DC Morrow/Selfhelpbooks.com (c) Copyright 2003 DC Morrow/Selfhelpbooks.com In college, you were not in the minority if you dabbled in the world of illegal drugs, especially if underage smoking and drinking and the use of anabolic steroids are included in our definition of “illegal”. Legality, as it applies to drug use in college, has an interpretation different from that imposed by society at large. College personnel typically deal with substance abuse issues much like parents do, bringing in law enforcement agencies only as the last resort. For each other, students establish their own rather generous criteria for harmless levels of use. Even if those levels are exceeded, and a peer displays all the symptoms of addiction (you can substitute eating disorder here), intervention is unlikely. Most students rather cavalierly make statements like, “I believe that it is no one’s business what people do with their own bodies, unless it causes harm to others.” Bottom line … people can and do use drugs in college and nobody else cares.

Most employers don’t take such a liberal view toward substance use. I have friends who lost out on jobs because they did not pass drug tests. I’m not just referring to corporate jobs. One friend lost an $8 an hour job at a bike shop in Breckenridge in spite of heroic efforts to urinate clean. Underground stories are plentiful about teas and other concoctions that supposedly hide one’s chemical misdeeds. Drug screens are sophisticated and most substances of abuse linger in the body at detectable levels for days.

If substance abuse has cost you a promotion or a job, you’ve met one of the requirements for addiction. If you are taking offense at my saying so, you just added denial to your addiction checklist. If drug or alcohol use occupies many of your waking thoughts; disrupts social and family gatherings, not to mention occupational commitments; and produces cravings or even symptoms of withdrawal upon discontinuation, please get help. Addiction is not caused by weak will power. But it does take exceptional acts of will to overcome it.

If you are genuinely not addicted and yet drug use is jeopardizing your getting or keeping a job, this is foolhardy. You might lose more than your job. Your personal freedom is on the line. State drug laws make even first offenses punishable by incarceration.

Even isolated episodes of excessive drinking have some dangerous pitfalls. It is difficult to achieve a level of consciousness that sustains competence after a bender the night before. Calling into work with a hangover, not that most people give that as their reason, often is recognized for what it is. Once is forgivable, twice is irresponsible.

Making an ass of yourself at office outings because you have had a few too many can be hard to live down. Try to limit yourself to one adult beverage per hour, eat something along with what you are drinking, and periodically get on your feet and move around. If possible, drink beer or have wine to help monitor the potency. Mixed drinks or punches can contain alcohol amounts equivalent to multiple drinks. The moderation associated with the one drink per hour maximum should keep your blood alcohol level where you can safely and legally drive home.

DC Morrow is the author of Survival After College available from Selfhelpbooks.com
(c) Copyright 2003 DC Morrow/Selfhelpbooks.com In college, you were not in the minority if you dabbled in the world of illegal drugs, especially if underage smoking and drinking and the use of anabolic steroids are included in our definition of “illegal”. Legality, as it applies to drug use in college, has an interpretation different from that imposed by society at large. College personnel typically deal with substance abuse issues much like parents do, bringing in law enforcement agencies only as the last resort. For each other, students establish their own rather generous criteria for harmless levels of use. Even if those levels are exceeded, and a peer displays all the symptoms of addiction (you can substitute eating disorder here), intervention is unlikely. Most students rather cavalierly make statements like, “I believe that it is no one’s business what people do with their own bodies, unless it causes harm to others.” Bottom line … people can and do use drugs in college and nobody else cares.

Most employers don’t take such a liberal view toward substance use. I have friends who lost out on jobs because they did not pass drug tests. I’m not just referring to corporate jobs. One friend lost an $8 an hour job at a bike shop in Breckenridge in spite of heroic efforts to urinate clean. Underground stories are plentiful about teas and other concoctions that supposedly hide one’s chemical misdeeds. Drug screens are sophisticated and most substances of abuse linger in the body at detectable levels for days.

If substance abuse has cost you a promotion or a job, you’ve met one of the requirements for addiction. If you are taking offense at my saying so, you just added denial to your addiction checklist. If drug or alcohol use occupies many of your waking thoughts; disrupts social and family gatherings, not to mention occupational commitments; and produces cravings or even symptoms of withdrawal upon discontinuation, please get help. Addiction is not caused by weak will power. But it does take exceptional acts of will to overcome it.

If you are genuinely not addicted and yet drug use is jeopardizing your getting or keeping a job, this is foolhardy. You might lose more than your job. Your personal freedom is on the line. State drug laws make even first offenses punishable by incarceration.

Even isolated episodes of excessive drinking have some dangerous pitfalls. It is difficult to achieve a level of consciousness that sustains competence after a bender the night before. Calling into work with a hangover, not that most people give that as their reason, often is recognized for what it is. Once is forgivable, twice is irresponsible.

Making an ass of yourself at office outings because you have had a few too many can be hard to live down. Try to limit yourself to one adult beverage per hour, eat something along with what you are drinking, and periodically get on your feet and move around. If possible, drink beer or have wine to help monitor the potency. Mixed drinks or punches can contain alcohol amounts equivalent to multiple drinks. The moderation associated with the one drink per hour maximum should keep your blood alcohol level where you can safely and legally drive home.

DC Morrow is the author of Survival After College available from Selfhelpbooks.com
(c) Copyright 2003 DC Morrow/Selfhelpbooks.com In college, you were not in the minority if you dabbled in the world of illegal drugs, especially if underage smoking and drinking and the use of anabolic steroids are included in our definition of “illegal”. Legality, as it applies to drug use in college, has an interpretation different from that imposed by society at large. College personnel typically deal with substance abuse issues much like parents do, bringing in law enforcement agencies only as the last resort. For each other, students establish their own rather generous criteria for harmless levels of use. Even if those levels are exceeded, and a peer displays all the symptoms of addiction (you can substitute eating disorder here), intervention is unlikely. Most students rather cavalierly make statements like, “I believe that it is no one’s business what people do with their own bodies, unless it causes harm to others.” Bottom line … people can and do use drugs in college and nobody else cares.

Most employers don’t take such a liberal view toward substance use. I have friends who lost out on jobs because they did not pass drug tests. I’m not just referring to corporate jobs. One friend lost an $8 an hour job at a bike shop in Breckenridge in spite of heroic efforts to urinate clean. Underground stories are plentiful about teas and other concoctions that supposedly hide one’s chemical misdeeds. Drug screens are sophisticated and most substances of abuse linger in the body at detectable levels for days.

If substance abuse has cost you a promotion or a job, you’ve met one of the requirements for addiction. If you are taking offense at my saying so, you just added denial to your addiction checklist. If drug or alcohol use occupies many of your waking thoughts; disrupts social and family gatherings, not to mention occupational commitments; and produces cravings or even symptoms of withdrawal upon discontinuation, please get help. Addiction is not caused by weak will power. But it does take exceptional acts of will to overcome it.

If you are genuinely not addicted and yet drug use is jeopardizing your getting or keeping a job, this is foolhardy. You might lose more than your job. Your personal freedom is on the line. State drug laws make even first offenses punishable by incarceration.

Even isolated episodes of excessive drinking have some dangerous pitfalls. It is difficult to achieve a level of consciousness that sustains competence after a bender the night before. Calling into work with a hangover, not that most people give that as their reason, often is recognized for what it is. Once is forgivable, twice is irresponsible.

Making an ass of yourself at office outings because you have had a few too many can be hard to live down. Try to limit yourself to one adult beverage per hour, eat something along with what you are drinking, and periodically get on your feet and move around. If possible, drink beer or have wine to help monitor the potency. Mixed drinks or punches can contain alcohol amounts equivalent to multiple drinks. The moderation associated with the one drink per hour maximum should keep your blood alcohol level where you can safely and legally drive home.

DC Morrow is the author of Survival After College available from Selfhelpbooks.com
(c) Copyright 2003 DC Morrow/Selfhelpbooks.com In college, you were not in the minority if you dabbled in the world of illegal drugs, especially if underage smoking and drinking and the use of anabolic steroids are included in our definition of “illegal”. Legality, as it applies to drug use in college, has an interpretation different from that imposed by society at large. College personnel typically deal with substance abuse issues much like parents do, bringing in law enforcement agencies only as the last resort. For each other, students establish their own rather generous criteria for harmless levels of use. Even if those levels are exceeded, and a peer displays all the symptoms of addiction (you can substitute eating disorder here), intervention is unlikely. Most students rather cavalierly make statements like, “I believe that it is no one’s business what people do with their own bodies, unless it causes harm to others.” Bottom line … people can and do use drugs in college and nobody else cares.

Most employers don’t take such a liberal view toward substance use. I have friends who lost out on jobs because they did not pass drug tests. I’m not just referring to corporate jobs. One friend lost an $8 an hour job at a bike shop in Breckenridge in spite of heroic efforts to urinate clean. Underground stories are plentiful about teas and other concoctions that supposedly hide one’s chemical misdeeds. Drug screens are sophisticated and most substances of abuse linger in the body at detectable levels for days.

If substance abuse has cost you a promotion or a job, you’ve met one of the requirements for addiction. If you are taking offense at my saying so, you just added denial to your addiction checklist. If drug or alcohol use occupies many of your waking thoughts; disrupts social and family gatherings, not to mention occupational commitments; and produces cravings or even symptoms of withdrawal upon discontinuation, please get help. Addiction is not caused by weak will power. But it does take exceptional acts of will to overcome it.

If you are genuinely not addicted and yet drug use is jeopardizing your getting or keeping a job, this is foolhardy. You might lose more than your job. Your personal freedom is on the line. State drug laws make even first offenses punishable by incarceration.

Even isolated episodes of excessive drinking have some dangerous pitfalls. It is difficult to achieve a level of consciousness that sustains competence after a bender the night before. Calling into work with a hangover, not that most people give that as their reason, often is recognized for what it is. Once is forgivable, twice is irresponsible.

Making an ass of yourself at office outings because you have had a few too many can be hard to live down. Try to limit yourself to one adult beverage per hour, eat something along with what you are drinking, and periodically get on your feet and move around. If possible, drink beer or have wine to help monitor the potency. Mixed drinks or punches can contain alcohol amounts equivalent to multiple drinks. The moderation associated with the one drink per hour maximum should keep your blood alcohol level where you can safely and legally drive home.

DC Morrow is the author of Survival After College available from Selfhelpbooks.com
(c) Copyright 2003 DC Morrow/Selfhelpbooks.com