Khalifa event contradicts student drug statistics

With the excitement that surrounded the visit of avid pot-smoker Wiz Khalifa at Nest Fest on Friday, it may be hard to believe the campus Wellness Center signs posted around campus that refute the popularity of drugs. These signs, placed near the Prevention and Wellness building, state that 79 percent of FGCU students haven’t smoked marijuana in the past 30 days. 

With these contradictions present, students are left wondering how many of their peers are actually partaking in recreational drug use and how accurate the Wellness Center’s statistics are.

Students around campus have been discussing their plans for Friday, April 20, a noted “holiday” for many who smoke marijuana. This is also when Wiz Khalifa will begin his tour.

After further research, the statistics used for the signs are from a CORE survey that was administered to a random sample of 649 students in fall of 2010. The Wellness Center and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) conducted the surveys and posted the signs around campus to encourage FGCU students to make healthy decisions.

The issue of smoking weed can be sensitive for many people.  Considering that marijuana is illegal, it is also questionable if students are answering the CORE survey truthfully and accurately.

Cheryl Kainrad, a junior majoring in art, feels the CORE survey numbers are misleading.

“If I had to guess, I would say the percentage of students who smoke at FGCU is probably in the high 40’s,” she said.

In the 2010 Crime Log, requested from the University Police Department (UPD), 235 arrests were made from January 4 to December 30, 2010. Of the arrests made, 38 were for theft, followed by 27 arrests for possession of marijuana. The fourth most popular arrest was for possession of drug paraphernalia. The number of students caught with marijuana or drug paraphernalia even surpassed students caught underage drinking.

 Jonathan Holth, a sophomore who has not yet declared a major, feels that smoking weed may be more prevalent because students currently prefer it to alcohol.

“Newer generations of students prefer smoking pot over boozing, and this may just be a change of sorts in society,” Holth said.