We write to correct an inaccuracy portrayed by Mark Phillips' March 28 Viewpoint ("Lessons from Tufts"). Mr. Phillips implies that disclosure of underage alcohol use at Health Services or at a hospital will lead to disciplinary referral, either mandatory counseling or a reprimand from the Dean of Students' office.
Unfortunately, this is a common misconception. In reality, it could not be further from the truth. Clinical practitioners have an ethical - and legal - obligation not to divulge such patient information unless a patient is in imminent harm. Even in these extreme situations, information is not used to punish a student, but to protect him or her. As we kick off National Alcohol Awareness Month, we feel it is important to correct this and other misconceptions surrounding the goal of health-oriented alcohol services on campus.
The goal of Health Services at Tufts is to promote health and wellness on campus and to treat those in need of care. Discipline is not in its purview. Furthermore, the staff of Health Services and affiliated Alcohol and Other Drug Program does not believe that the consumption of alcohol by underage individuals makes them bad, morally flawed people in need of punishment. The emphasis is not on absolute elimination of all drinking, but rather a pragmatic harm reduction approach. Underage drinking occurs on college campuses, but that does not have to result in serious health outcomes for those who drink and those around them. Health professionals, especially on the Tufts campus, do not treat alcohol and drug use based on their assumptions or instincts about college students. Rather, they practice treatment and prevention strategies based on scientific research.
Lying to a medical practitioner is a bad idea in general. Practitioners at Health Services and other medical facilities are unable to help patients to the best of their ability when they are not provided with complete information about the injuries and behaviors of the patient.
Several prescription medications have dangerous interactions with alcohol. Alcohol and drug use is often a sign of mental health issues, including depression and stress. It is also involved in a large percentage of cases of disordered eating, body image disorders and incidences of sexual and other types of violence. Health professionals seek to help students address these health issues, not eliminate underage drinking.
As members of The Student Health Advisory Board, we work with Director of Health Services Michelle Bowdler and Alcohol and Other Drug Program Director Margot Abels on a regular basis. We can tell you that they do not care if you have one, two, or even three drinks in the course of a weekend. We can also assure you that their concerns about student alcohol use come out of their desire to achieve a healthy campus by preventing serious consequences of alcohol overuse including alcohol poisoning. It is not to punish underage drinkers. The same goes for the clinical practitioners at Health Services.
According to the most recent survey of Tufts students, 80 percent of undergraduates describe themselves as drinkers. Eight percent have also at some point had to take care of a drunken student. But perhaps most indicative of the need to treat alcohol use seriously and honestly, 65.5 percent of respondents said they know at least one person on campus who they think is headed for a problem with alcohol.
If you do have a problem with alcohol or drugs, the worst thing you can do is lie to a clinician about it. There are extraordinary, confidential resources available to Tufts students dealing with these issues. Using them does not involve any disciplinary referrals to the Dean of Students office. In addition to the medical staff and Program Director Abels who are available to talk to any student who has a concern about their own or another's substance use, Health Services has a clinical social worker dedicated to working with students with alcohol- and drug-related problems. There is also a confidential peer support group for students trying to stay sober. Other support groups are in the works. Health Services and the Alcohol and Other Drug Program work with members of the Greek system and different cultural communities on a regular basis to try to understand the context of unhealthy drinking on campus.
As an organization, we actively work to combat such misperceptions such as those exhibited in Mr. Phillips' article. With all of the discussion on campus about alcohol use, the "crackdown" on parties and fraternity life, etc., what is often missing is the realization that there are places students can freely discuss their alcohol use without fear of disciplinary action. Those places do exist, and Health Services is one of them. It is our hope that students feel comfortable discussing issues of substance use with practitioners there on a confidential basis, and if for some reason they do not, they let us or Michelle Bowdler know. No one should feel compelled to stay silent about any health issue they face.
The Student Health Advisory Board (SHAB) works with Health Services and other campus professionals to promote health and wellness on the Tufts campus, and to provide a student voice to campus health policy. They can be reached at shab@tufts.edu Adam Pulver is a senior majoring in political science. Lindsay Cohen is a sophomore majoring in English.
