Many students have tried them, some are repulsed by them and a few are hooked. No matter what one’s opinion is on the topic of illegal drugs, it’s no secret that they play an integral role in the health and social aspects of college life.

To see just how much drugs impact the Whitman community, The Pioneer conducted a campus-wide survey detailing student opinions and personal habits regarding illegal drug use.

In concordance with Washington State Law, illegal drugs are defined here, and in the survey, as any drug or controlled substance that is not legally obtainable, or is legally obtainable but was not legally obtained.

Surveys were delivered via campus mailboxes to all Whitman students, and the first 100 responses were analyzed for this study. While some statistics from this sample population may not have accurately reflected the student body as a whole, others correlated precisely to the demographics. For example, 56 percent of respondents were women, 31 percent were affiliated with the greek system and 15 percent were athletes; nearly all these figures directly correspond with the Whitman student body. For this special feature, The Pioneer shares the survey results as well as personal anecdotes regarding drug use and tips for combating drug abuse.