University officials had hoped that students would realize the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse after the death of Lewis Fish, who died Jan. 22, 2006, in his dorm room from an overdose of alcohol, cocaine and heroin.
But UGA police statistics indicate that little has changed.
Last year, UGA police investigated 406 drug and alcohol cases, 68 more than it did in 2005. And all but 16 of last year's investigations resulted in arrests, police said.
``I may be a little bit surprised, but there is a national culture where students all over are consuming higher amounts of alcohol,'' said Lauren Fields, a 22-year-old senior at the school.
Fields, former president of Advocating Safe Alternatives for Peers, an alcohol-awareness program, commended UGA for the steps it has taken to curb substance abuse. But there will always be students who think nothing bad will come from overindulging, she said.
Fish's death prompted a campus police investigation that brought charges against seven young men including four UGA students and one former student who since has re-enrolled, and students from two other colleges from misdemeanor underage alcohol possession to felony possession of heroin.
Charges were dropped against one of the men, five others entered pretrial diversion programs and the seventh pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of keeping a disorderly house.
Although university officials tried to change UGA's party culture for years, Fish's death helped bring the issue to the forefront.
Now, students who violate the university's alcohol and drug policies for the first time are put on probation for the remainder of the semester and the next two semesters and must take an alcohol-awareness class. Parents used to be notified after a second offense, but now are told the first time their son or daughter violates the drug and alcohol policy.
But judging from arrest statistics, the tougher stance against drug and alcohol abuse does not seem to have made a difference with students.
``That's unfortunate,'' UGA police Capt. Lisa Boone said. ``But I know when I came to school up here, I was not used to being in an environment away from home and never remember consciously thinking something would happen to me, so I don't know why it would start now.''
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/1/96653