As evidenced by this MSNBC story, college students are binge drinking and abusing prescription drugs in near-record numbers. Sure, we all know the myth that partying is omnipresent at college campuses. However, the extent of that presence is what surprises me.

Sure, I had my fun days in college but none of them had drugs involved, legal, illegal or otherwise. This is a little troubling.

Meh, college students drink a lot and smoke pot. In other news, the sky is blue.

The prescription drug part is a little surprising to me though, I've never really seen that.

Drunken, buzzed and horned up college boys...ahh, the memories. As much as I may kid about this, I think things are different now than when I was in college. First of all, we just had regular drugs...none of this "X" crap or "K", or GHB or anything with letters, except LSD, and no one messed with that, expecially after "Go Ask Alice" came out. Secondly, maybe someone raided their parents medicine chest, for valium, but that was about it. No such thing as oxycontin, vicodin, and the whole host of new painkillers now on the market. Third, it seems there is a lot of dangerous mixing going on...booze, pills and weed. Today's youth must have forgotten about all those who died doing stuff like that...Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison...the list goes on and on, yet it never comes to an end. God only knows how much I like to have a good time, but it appears this is all getting out of hand.

Today's youth probably doesn't even know these people.

Most of today's youth also doesn't spend their time bombed out on medication and illegal drugs either, I'm sure the percentage is much lower than it was in the 60s and 70s except for pot.

Illini, did you read the news story? I'm glad you like my witty writing, but the news story is what this thread is really all about.

Well I did my fair share of drinking in college but I only got pissy drunk a few times. I just don't like the feeling of waking up with a hangover. I don't vomit easily and I feel like complete shit the day after. As far as drugs, there was none of that. And believe me...I was going to parties in high school that had its share of pills, coke, heroine. Same in college as frat parties and house parties had a plethora of drugs, but there was no way in hell I was getting involved in any of that crap because I have seen how its totally screwed people I knew who became addicts. I don't have time for that crap. Other than smoking pot a few times and trying ecstacy once I just was never turned on by that world. The whole crystal meth thing I just didn't get. I surely wasn't gonna get into doing acid and other crazy stuff like that. The binge drinking trend though is very disturbing and when I was at Maryland there were a few students who died from nights of drinking and drugs. Its just a culture that is deemed as cool and popularized by today's young Hollywood stars and shows like The Real World on MTV. Some people just don't have good sense.

I did read the article, thank you very much. I'm just always skeptical of stories whose theme is "hey, look what those kids are up to today!". It's all so sensationalist.