Alcohol, Cannabis & Other Drugs

While many Mac students choose to abstain from substance use, the reality is that college is a time when some students explore alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and other drugs. To ensure a healthy and safe Mac community, our public health approach encourages you to examine risk reduction strategies in a judgement-free environment. The educational programs and resources are intended to empower students to reduce risky behaviors and potential harmful consequences for those that do choose to use these substances.

Self-Assessment Tools

Are you interested in exploring your personal use of alcohol in a non-judgmental, anonymous way?  Check out 36o Proof for personalized feedback, recommendations to reduce your own risk, and a list of resources.

Opioid and Naloxone Information

Health Promotion at Macalester recognizes that Naloxone can be a life-saving medication and encourages students to understand how and when to utilize this resource. There are multiple community organization that offers training here in the Twin Cities to help community members better recognize and respond to an emergency that involves Opioid overdoses. Below, we have provided some resources for students and community members to receive training and free naloxone. 

The Steve Rummler HOPE Network offers in-person community training as well as online overdose response training. If you choose to complete the online training and you are unable to pick up naloxone from an access site (refer to the map of Naloxone access points), you can request naloxone be sent to you via mail for free. 

Additional community training can be found on the following community sites:

• Southside Harm Reduction
• Neighborhood Health Source
• Indigenous Peoples’ Task force

Data: Get the Mac Facts

Students feel that drinking (and high-risk drinking ) is less acceptable than peers may think.

• 93% of Macalester first-year students report they are “comfortable” or “very comfortable” showing up to a party and choosing not to drink alcohol.
• 93% of Macalester first-year students report they find it “unacceptable” or “very unacceptable” to encourage another person to drink alcohol.
• 85% of Macalester first-year students report they are “comfortable” or “very comfortable” interrupting when someone is being encouraged to over consume alcohol by another person.
• 68% of Macalester first-year students report alcohol is not at all important to their social life.
• 83% of Macalester first-year students report cannabis is not at all important to their social life.

Results from the Alcohol.Edu module, n=237, 2020.

• ATOD Recovery Resources
• Biennial Review 2018-2020

First-Year Alcohol and Other Drugs Social Norms

Each summer before arriving on campus, incoming first-year students complete the AlcoholEdu for College online course.  This course empowers students to make thoughtful decisions and surveys incoming Mac students about their habits and values around alcohol and other drugs.  The data is anonymous and reflects the first-year class as a whole.

This campaign hopes to clear up misconceptions that first-years students may have about the Mac culture.

Local Support Groups

• Alcoholics Anonymous Local Meetings 
• Narcotics Anonymous Local Meetings
• North Star Problem Gambling Alliance

Tobacco-Free at Mac

Macalester is a tobacco-free campus.  This includes the use of electronic-cigarettes and any other smoking products. Visit Tobacco Free at Mac to access resources to help you quit, learn more about tobacco and vaping, and read Macalester’s tobacco-free policies. 

Did you know 70% of Macalester students report never using Tobacco or nicotine delivery products in their lifetime (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, Jull or other vape products, water pipe or hookah, chewing tobacco, cigars etc.).

Interested in quitting: If you are a Minnesota resident, visit Quit Partner for free coaching, email and text support, and quit medication delivered by mail.

Source from the NCHA Spring 2021, n=514.

E-cigs and the Environment

The increasing use of e-cigarettes and vaping is both a public health concern and an environmental concern. E-cigs (vapes or Juul) contain lithium-ion batteries and heavy metals that require harmful mining and manufacturing practices. Tragically, they contribute to the estimated 99 billion pounds of hazardous e-waste discarded globally each year.  There is not a good, easy, reputable way to recycle/dispose of e-cigarette components, including Juul pods.  The only company we are familiar with that recycles e-cigs is a company called TerraCycle.