Cocaine isn't the big problem on campus, alcohol is : NPR

Key Points:

• Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday announced the arrest of 14 individuals involved in a large-scale cocaine distribution ring at Penn State University, with drugs often packaged and sold within fraternity houses in 2023 and 2024.
• Despite the high-profile case, research indicates a decline in cocaine use among young adults in the U.S., with prevalence dropping to about 5% in the past year, and cocaine use among ages 18 to 25 falling from 3.7% in 2021 to 2.6% in 2023.
• Other substances such as alcohol and cannabis remain more widely used on college campuses, with alcohol consumption decreasing but still causing significant health risks, including thousands of deaths annually among underage drinkers.
• Marijuana use among college-age Americans remains elevated, with about 25% reporting regular use in 2025, although monthly use peaked in 2022 and has been slowly declining since.
• Overall, younger Americans are engaging in less high-risk substance use, reflected in a roughly 50% reduction in fatal drug overdoses among young adults since 2021, though experts emphasize continued concern over binge drinking.