Why Do College Athletes Use Alcohol Or Drugs?

Alcohol or Drugs

“Out of all of the Ncaa athletes, 80% of student-athletes under and over the age of 21 reported alcohol use in 2015” (Hainline). Another example is that 22% of the student athletes were doing marijuana when they got tested before their games or events” (Hainline). Many college athletes do these things to be cool and they think it is okay to get all drugged up. Student athletes at the College level should be smarter than what these facts show because they could be more concerned about their careers in an athletic sport rather than wasting time drinking and doing drugs that are harmful. The Ncaa has a rule that all athletes must be sober for 48hrs before participating in their sport. College athletes under the age of twenty-one should be removed from their athletic team if tested positive for drugs or alcohol.

“ Excessive alcohol use can lead to loss of balance and coordination, reduced reaction time, and increased appetite” (Hainline). According to Bell, the author of Ncaa alcohol and drugs article “Alcohol has a diuretic property that can lead to rapid dehydration and decreased athletic performance”(Bell). Furthermore, studies have shown that regular consumption of alcohol can depress the immune system and slow the body’s ability to heal. In contrary, alcohol and drugs will most likely not affect the athlete's performance for some people. Although excessive alcohol use can lead to loss of balance and coordination, that does not mean performance levels will totally drop because they can rest and then go out and perform for their