FHSU: A Place to Be Alcohol and Drug Free
I. Philosophy
Fort Hays State University has long since recognized that an academic community is harmed in many ways by the abuse of alcohol and the use of other drugs. This high-risk behavior is exemplified by decreased productivity of members of the community, mental health problems, strained social interactions as well as forms of vandalism. Problems associated with the illicit use and abuse of substances have a pervasive impact upon our academic community and are not associated with a singular socioeconomic group or age level. The processes of education and learning are especially impaired by alcohol abuse and the use of illegal drugs.
FHSU subscribes to the basic philosophy of the network of colleges and universities committed to the elimination of alcohol and drug abuse. It states:
- The institutional establishment enforces clear policies that promote an educational environment free from the abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
- The institution will provide education for its members for the purpose of preventing alcohol and other drug abuses as well as educating them about the use of legal drugs in ways that are not harmful to self or others.
- FHSU will create an environment that promotes and reinforces healthy, responsible living; respect for community laws; campus standards and regulations; the individual's responsibility within the community; and the intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual or ethical and physical well being of its community.
- The institution will provide for a reasonable level of care for alcohol and drug abusers through counseling, treatment and referral.
The foundation of the philosophy concerning alcohol and drug abuse for FHSU is the firm commitment to an educational program which provides adequate information and counseling to help all members of the academic community to make informed and responsible decisions concerning the use of any controlled substance. The institution is committed to a healthy environment for living and learning.
The FHSU Faculty Senate has adopted a statement to support the membership guidelines and standards of the network of drug-free colleges and universities and its commitment to the elimination of drug and alcohol abuse.
II. Health Risks
These examples are not intended to be all-inclusive. It is recommended that you consult your physician for more extensive information.
A. Alcohol and the Body
Mouth and Esophagus: Alcohol irritates the delicate linings of the throat and esophagus. Consequently, it causes a burning sensation as it goes down the throat.
Stomach and Intestines: Alcohol also affects ability of the male and female to climax during intercourse.
Brain: The most dramatic and noticed effect alcohol has is on the brain. It produces lack of coordination, confusion, disorientation, stupor, anesthesia, coma and, finally, death.
B. Marijuana/Other Illegal Drugs and the Body
Eyes and Skin: Marijuana smokers may have inflamed watery eyes and develop wrinkled skin due to irritants present in smoke. Cocaine users have increased sensitivity to light, may have blurred vision, see "floaters," and have double vision or image distortion.
Mouth, Larynx and Esophagus: Marijuana contains 50 percent more tar than tobacco as well as 400 other identified chemicals. Using three to five marijuana joints a week equals smoking 16 cigarettes daily. Smoking is associated with gum disease; loss of teeth; and cancer of the cheeks, gums, palate, tongue, lips, larynx and esophagus.
Heart: Smoking one marijuana joint may cause increases in heart rate and blood pressure by as much as 50 percent. Cocaine increases the heart rate and arteries constrict. Restricted blood flow to the heart may cause a heart attack.
Bladder and Kidneys: Concentration of tars, carcinogens and chemicals from marijuana in the kidneys and bladder is associated with cancers in these organs. Cocaine use causes inflammation and breakdown of small and medium arteries in the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.
Bronchial and Lungs: Marijuana is a respiratory irritant that causes sore throats and chronic coughs. Use of crack/cocaine may cause the respiratory system to fail.
Reproduction: Tetrahydrocannabinol chemical (THC) is a substance present in marijuana that causes and creates mood-altering effects. The gonads are high fat organs that absorb and hold more THC than most other cells of the body. Males experience lowered testosterone levels, and testosterone is essential for development of secondary male characteristics. Females may experience infertility, pregnancy complications and changes in sexual characteristics. Cocaine users have babies addicted at birth.
C. Tobacco and the Body
Mouth, Larynx and Esophagus: Smokers have three times as many cavities as nonsmokers. Tobacco, both smoked and smokeless, is the leading cause of cancers of the cheeks, gums, palate, tongue and lips. Smokers lose their teeth at a rate three times greater than nonsmokers. A one-pack-a-day smoker increases his/her chance of cancer of the esophagus by as much as 500 percent.
Stomach and Heart: Peptic ulcers are twice as high in smokers as in nonsmokers. Nicotine from any source causes secretion of excessive amounts of gastric acids and delays healing of ulcers. Nicotine is a powerful constrictor of small arteries. Insufficient oxygen supply to the heart is a cause of heart attacks.
Pancreas, Bladder and Kidneys: Smokers have a 100 percent increased risk of developing cancer of the pancreas, three times the risk of bladder cancer and a 50 percent greater rate of kidney cancer. Carcinogens absorbed from cigarette smoke and smokeless tobacco are concentrated and excreted in the urine. The bladder and the kidneys are in constant contact with cancer-causing chemicals.
Bronchial and Lungs: Smoking causes the lungs and bronchioles to be inflamed and congested. Chronic bronchitis predisposes smokers to emphysema and incurable lung disease. Stretching and breaking of the tiny air sacs of the lungs, making them useless for breathing, characterize emphysema. Cigarette smokers are ten times more likely to die of lung cancer than nonsmokers.
Reproduction: Smoking more than one half of a pack of cigarettes daily is associated with higher incidence of infertility in women. Babies born to women who smoke are lighter and smaller than those born to nonsmokers. This is important because birth weight is a predictor of infant health. Women who take birth control pills and smoke are at greater risk of cancer.
Brain: A combination of high blood pressure and smoking is associated with stroke, the third leading cause of death in the United States. Nicotine from any source constricts blood vessels and restricts oxygen supply.
III. Policy
A. Students
FHSU does not permit or condone the consumption of alcoholic beverages by any individual under the age of 21. All laws, local, state and federal, concerning the possession or use of illegal drugs by any student, faculty or staff member will be strictly enforced on the campus and at any event sponsored by the university.
Liquor may only be served at luncheons, dinners or receptions honoring individuals that occur in connection with official university events and/or fundraising activities for university programs. The serving of the alcohol at such events must be approved, in advance, by the chief executive officer of the institution.
The 3.2 beer law, which went into effect on July 1, 1985, makes it illegal for persons younger than 21 to buy and consume 3.2 beer. The FHSU policy reflects compliance with this law and the university's stance on the use of alcohol.
Specific points of the FHSU Policy are:
- No alcoholic or cereal malt beverages will be sold, served or consumed on FHSU property pursuant to the policy without the approval of the President.
- Student organizations are prohibited from using organization funds to purchase beer or alcoholic beverages.
- Alcoholic and cereal malt beverages may not be consumed on campus by anyone under the age of 21.
- Canned 3.2% beer may be possessed and consumed by students living in the residence halls, Wooster Place and Stadium Place if they are of legal age. Living groups may develop rules that prohibit drinking.
B. Employees
It is the policy of FHSU that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances is prohibited in the workplace. Any full/part-time officer or employee of the university, including faculty, other unclassified staff, classified staff and students found to be illegally manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, possessing or using controlled substances at the university workplace shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with applicable policies of the State of Kansas, the Kansas Board of Regents and FHSU. Officers and employees are reminded that illegal manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances may also subject individuals to criminal prosecution.
As a condition of employment, all employees of FHSU shall abide by the terms of this policy statement and will notify FHSU of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five days after such conviction. For purposes of this policy, "conviction" means a finding of guilt (including a plea of nolo contendere) or imposition of sentence, or both, by any judicial body charged with the responsibility to determine violations of the Federal and State criminal statutes.
The term "controlled substances" means those substances included in Schedules I through V of section 202 of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and as further defined by regulations under 21 CFR 1308.11 through 1308.15 (a listing of controlled substances will be maintained in the campus Personnel Office and other appropriate locations on campus). The term does not include the use of a controlled substance pursuant to a valid prescription or other uses authorized by law.
This policy statement is an integral part of the FHSU drug-free awareness program. This policy will be given to all affected employees.
IV. Legal Sanctions
Students and employees are reminded that local, state and federal laws provide for a variety of legal sanctions and penalties for the unlawful possession or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol. These sanctions include, but are not limited to, incarceration and monetary fines.
The Federal Controlled Substances Act provides penalties of up to 15 years imprisonment and fines of up to $25,000 for unlawful distribution or possession with intent to distribute narcotics. For unlawful possession of controlled substances, a person is subject to up to one year of imprisonment and fines of up to $5,000. Any person who unlawfully distributes a controlled substance to a person under 21 years of age may be punished by up to twice the term of imprisonment and fine otherwise authorized by law.
Kansas law provides that any person who violates the criminal statutes on controlled substances by possessing, offering for sale, distributing or manufacturing opiates and narcotics (such as cocaine and heroine) is guilty of a Class C felony. For a conviction of a Class C felony, the court may sentence a person to a term of imprisonment of a minimum of three to five years, a maximum of 10 to 20 years and a fine of up to $15,000. Unlawful possession of a depressant, stimulant or hallucinogenic drug is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to a year in jail and a fine of $2,500. Depressants include barbiturates, Valium and barbital. Hallucinogens include LSD, marijuana and psilocybin. State law classifies amphetamines and methamphetamines as stimulants.
Article 7 of the Kansas Liquor Control Act provides for punishments ranging from up to six months imprisonment and fines of up to $1,000 for violation of statutes relating to the possession and distribution of alcohol.
The local ordinances of Hays also provide for prohibitions relating to illicit drugs and alcohol. Generally, these local ordinances are similar in content to state law.
Further information about these local, state and federal ordinances and statutes will be maintained in the Office of Student Affairs and Health and Wellness Services and will be available to students and employees. Students and employees are encouraged to obtain copies of this information.
V. University Sanctions for Students
Procedures described earlier in this handbook with regard to discipline will be followed if a student violates the stated university policy.
When a student admits to being or is found to have been in violation of the FHSU alcohol policy, the following responses and sanctions are possible:
- Reprimand - Official censure
- Restitution - Repayment of any monetary damages
- Specifically Defined Sanction - Specific conditions or assignments given to the student; examples include but are not limited to:
Community service
Research papers/personal essays
Workshop attendance
Loss of privileges and exclusion from activities
Exclusion from specified areas of campus
Special projects or assignments - Disciplinary Probation - Period of review and observation during which the student is warned that the misconduct was very serious and that further violations of the code of conduct may result in more serious sanctions
- Deferred Suspension or Dismissal - Denial of registration, attendance and/or privileges for a specified period of time
- Permanent Suspension - Dismissal from the university
- Expulsion - Immediate and permanent removal from the institution. (Used only when it is believed that the presence of the student will have a detrimental impact on the university community.)
All sanctions may be imposed singularly or in combination. Sanctions are designed to promote the educational mission of FHSU. It is also the university's belief that all disciplinary sanctions should provide the opportunity for personal growth and, to that end, counseling and referral for individual assessment may be included as one of the terms of any sanction. The severity of the sanction(s) imposed is intended to correspond with the severity or frequency of violations, as well as the student's willingness to recommit him or herself to good citizenship through behaviors that fall within the conduct regulations of the institution.
VI. Referral Sources
FHSU's Health and Wellness Services Drug and Alcohol Wellness Network (DAWN) is licensed as an outpatient assessment, counseling, education, and referral service. DAWN provides chemical dependency evaluations, counseling, referral services, and an alcohol information seminar. DAWN also provides prevention services through peer education, classroom presentations, and sponsorship of speakers and other activities. These services are available to all students, faculty and staff.
On Campus
Off Campus
- Dream Inc - 628-6655
- High Plains Mental Health Center - 628-2871
- Smoky Hill Foundation for Chemical Dependency - 628-5521
- Adult Children of Alcoholics, Alateen, Alanon - 625-9860
- Alcoholics Anonymous - 625-9860
- Narcotics Anonymous - 625-9860