Feb 26, 2025 (News On Japan) - "Whippets" are inhalants, often called "electronic cigarettes" by American college students due to their mild effects.
"Before I came to Tulane University, I had no idea what 'whippets' were. But eventually, I got used to it—this is just the culture at Tulane," says sophomore Elliea Satchu. Now, she knows that every holiday, the streets around campus are littered with "empty little metal cans."
They are usually sold in cans labeled "whippet" or "whip-its." These inhalants can cause temporary vision and speech impairments, as well as nausea and drowsiness. Long-term use may lead to mood disorders and anxiety. Pulmonologist Dr. John Carl explains, "If used in large quantities or over a long period, they can actually damage nerve conduction and impair some cognitive functions."
Many American college students don't view whippets as drugs. They prefer "laughing gas" (also known as "hippie crack," among other names). Pop star Hurley was surprised to see three people at an American university holding butane cans and shouting, "Keep going, keep going, keep going." Soon after, one student collapsed.
Reality check: the rate of marijuana use among American college students has reached 43%, and the rate of hallucinogen use is at 11%. On average, 1.2 million American college students drink alcohol daily, 703,000 smoke marijuana, 11,000 use cocaine, and nearly 10,000 use hallucinogens— all record highs.
What's even more alarming is that 82.25% of American college students consider experimenting with drugs or alcohol to be normal behavior. 71.5% say they've at least tried drugs or alcohol during college, and 66.8% have smoked marijuana.
I Don’t Do Drugs, I Just Smoke Weed
Why do American college students continue to experiment with drugs, despite the health risks?
The reason is simple: about one-third of American college students tried marijuana in high school, and nearly 1/4 of them learned to use it after entering college.
On one hand, they think it's "cool" and a way to show off their "masculinity." On the other hand, college is their first experience away from parental supervision, and since American professors generally don't intervene in students' daily lives, they see their peers using marijuana without immediate negative effects and begin to believe marijuana is "safe."
Among American college students, about 93% oppose using any illegal drugs, with 97.7% against heroin, 96.7% against cocaine, 94.9% against LSD (a hallucinogen also known as "acid"), and 89.9% against MDMA (Ecstasy). In 2006, 56% of young Americans believed marijuana use had "great risks," but by 2014, this figure dropped to 35%, and today, it’s barely an issue. Marijuana use is so widespread, and it is so easy to obtain on college campuses.
Researchers suggest that college students commonly use marijuana for recreational reasons, viewing drug use as a rite of passage into adulthood.
Marijuana lowers the barrier for drug use, leading more and more American college students to become addicts. College students have now become the largest group of drug addicts in the U.S. According to research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug use often begins in the 8th grade (roughly equivalent to 2nd year of junior high school in China), accelerates in 10th to 12th grade (equivalent to high school in China), and then fully erupts in college. Interestingly, the likelihood of drug use among female college students is slightly higher than that of their male counterparts (by 0.2%).
American Universities Are Going Crazy
The most common reason American college students give for using drugs is feeling "stressed." For many students, the expectations from parents, teachers, peers, and society, as well as their own expectations of themselves, make their college experience extraordinarily difficult.
86.6% of American students complain of stress. According to a survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, 18% of American college freshmen felt overwhelmed in 1985, but by 2010, that figure had risen to 29%, and by 2016, it reached 41%.
It’s not their coursework that’s stressful, but the bizarre educational system.
Kattiti, a student who attended the California Institute of the Arts, says, "I felt like I lost my life over the span of six years. At 18, I was confident, but by college, that confidence completely crumbled."
From her first day at university, she was told that she was a victim of white "microaggressions." White people would say things like "Your English is so fluent" or ask, "Can I touch your hair?" She was encouraged to fight back. "So, I began to see myself through the lens of race and gender—like, if I saw someone with a dog and the dog barked at me, I would think of it as a racial 'microaggression.'"
Kattiti grew tired of this so-called "concern." "To get the best grades and impress my professors, I had to constantly show them how much of a victim I was."
Though she felt the professors were wrong, she didn’t argue. "I thought I paid so much tuition, they must be teaching me the golden rules of life, so I started using terms like marginalization, intersectionality, hegemony... people just smiled, but I mistakenly thought I was part of their group."
Years later, Kattiti realized she had made a mistake. "This mindset isn’t healthy. It caused me a lot of pain."
When American media figure John Stossel learned of Kattiti's pain, he was shocked, saying, "American universities are going crazy. They charge students high fees and then make them feel guilty."
The pressure causes American college students to believe that drug use can alleviate stress. As scholar Carl explains, "People face tremendous pressure and depression, and they try to escape reality."
Selling Drugs Is My Only Way to Graduate
In addition to the strange educational system, 43% of American college students have jobs to support themselves. But finding a decent job in the U.S. isn’t easy, so selling drugs to classmates becomes an easy way to make money.
"I decided at 16 that college was the only place where I could truly be myself, so I went for it. But I had to have a job, or I wouldn’t be able to afford food or rent. I realized the best way to earn $800 a week was by selling drugs. Without that money, I couldn’t stay in college," says Taylor.
At 18, Taylor left home. Both his parents were in prison, and he had a falling out with his grandparents over train fare. "Someone told me, 'If you leave home, never come back.' That was the worst night of my life. I had never felt so physically and mentally exhausted over one day."
After leaving home, Taylor worked while attending college. He applied for "low-income" status and did receive financial aid, but he still felt "stressed." Now, Taylor wakes up at 7 AM, completes his college assignments by 3 PM, and spends the next nine hours selling marijuana. "Selling drugs is the only way I can afford tuition. If I go to jail for it, then so be it."
Fortunately, Taylor was never caught by the police. He was careful to "keep it small," saying, "I’m not an idiot, I just need the money for school. I’ve seen many negative outcomes—either people keep selling drugs until they end up in prison, or they get hooked on drugs, end up in debt. I didn’t want to become one of them."
After graduating, Taylor found a good job with a salary of $40,000. He feels satisfied: "I go to bed at 10:30 PM, which is so much better than what I was doing in college. I feel incredibly happy."
Looking back, Taylor says, "I remember thinking, when I was selling drugs in college, that once I graduated, I’d sit at a desk in a nice office, wear a shirt and tie, and never complain again."
American Universities Have Become Addiction Laboratories
In American universities, it's not just illegal drugs that are a problem; there are also addictive prescription medications. In some highly competitive universities, amphetamines have become a must-have before exams, such as Adderall. Compared to regular drugs, Adderall has the advantage of being a prescription medication for treating ADHD and improving focus. Students can buy it cheaply at campus health clinics. Nearly 20% of American college students habitually use Adderall for long study sessions to avoid failing exams.
Angela, a former Columbia University student, says, "My friends all tried Adderall during exams. I thought it was very unfair to me. But now, campus culture considers using Adderall cool and acceptable." The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration found that from 1992 to 2003, the number of young people using prescription drugs as recreational drugs tripled, far outpacing other drugs.
It’s worth noting that students involved in campus organizations like fraternities or sororities have a higher drug use rate. The problem of drug use among American college students is becoming more serious, yet society hasn’t given it the attention it deserves. People just see it as "a typical mistake young people make" and don’t think much of it. After all, it’s just part of American college culture.
About a quarter of American college students have their academic performance affected by drug use or alcohol abuse. Their absenteeism rate is five times higher than average, and the likelihood of failing exams is about six times greater. Drug use can lead to dropping out of college or committing crimes, like sexual assault. One estimate suggests that one in five American female college students experience sexual assault during their college years.
Professional institutions can temporarily help students overcome addiction, but the relapse rate is usually between 85% and 90%. Young people, including college students, have higher relapse rates than older individuals in recovery. About 25% of those who quit drugs relapse within a month, and only 10% successfully stay sober long-term. Even when recovery is successful, around 1 in 5 people develop psychological problems that may last a lifetime.
