Appendix IV

The Risks of Substance Abuse

Marlboro College recognizes that alcohol and other drug abuse is harmful to the social, personal, and academic lives of students as well as the health and safety of our College community as a whole. The following risks are associated with the use and/or abuse of alcohol and other drugs:

Illness and Health Problems

All drugs can be toxic when abused. Alcohol and other drugs can interact negatively with over-the-counter and prescription drugs, and every individual reacts differently to the effects of both these drugs and the combination involved. Short-term alcohol and other drug abuse can hinder a person’s immune system, and long-term abuse can lead to serious health risks such as addiction, liver disease, heart disease, and certain kinds of cancer.

Academics

Difficulty Failing to meet academic responsibilities is one of the most common consequences of alcohol and other drug use. Academic problems may include missing classes, falling behind on assignments and conference work, poor evaluations and the possibility of academic probation, guided probation, or academic dismissal.

Impaired Judgment

The use of alcohol and other drugs can impact a person’s judgment, normal reaction, and perception; impair motor skills; lower inhibitions; and intensify emotions. All of these increase the chances of accidents either to the user or to others.

Interpersonal Problems

The more a person abuses alcohol or other drugs, the greater the potential for problems with relationships. Students who do not drink or do not abuse alcohol experience secondhand consequences from others’ excessive use, which may include unwanted sexual advances and disturbed study and sleep.

For more information on the effects of the use and/or abuse of specific substances, please see www.nida.nih.gov.

Counseling and Rehabilitation

Information and counseling about the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs is available in the Psychological Counseling Office or at the Health Center. The following is a partial list of community services available:

Al-Anon and Alateen

254-3361
Hours: 24 hours/7 days a week
Area Served: Windham County
Services: Information on times, dates and locations of support group meetings for Al-Anon (friends and family members of alcoholics), and Alateen (teenage members of Al-Anon)
Fee: No Charge

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, State of Vermont

232 Main Street, Brattleboro
254-4159
Hours: 7:45 am-4:40 pm M-F
Area Served: Windham County
Services: Information, referrals, and educational materials
Fee: No Charge

Alcoholics Anonymous

Brattleboro
257-5801
Hours: 24 hours/7 days a week
Area Served: Will serve anyone
Services: Information on meetings and support for recovering alcoholics
Fee: No Charge

Marathon House

101 Western Avenue, Brattleboro
257-1147
Hours: 9-5, M-F (24 hour/7 day emergency service)
Area Served: Windham County
Services: Out-patient alcohol and drug treatment; public inebriate program
Fee: Sliding fee scale ($5 – $25/hour). Medicaid, Medicare and insurance accepted.

Mental Health Services of SE VT

5 Fairview Street, Brattleboro
254-6028
Hours: 9-5, M-F
Area Served: Windham and Windsor Counties
Services: Out-patient and residential alcohol and drug treatment; information and referrals; alcohol and drug assessments; educational materials
Fee: Sliding scale. Medicaid, Medicare and insurance accepted.

19 Westminster Terrace, Bellows Falls
1-800-622-4235 or 463-3947 (24 hour/7 day emergency service)
Hours: 8:30-5, MWTHF; 8-8 Tues.

Narcotics Anonymous

1-800-842-5900 (VT) 1-800-633-0028 (nationwide)
Hours: 24 hour/7 day answering service
Area Served: VT, NH, MA
Services: Information on times, dates and locations of meetings. Telephone counselors available.
Fee: No Charge

Summary of legal sanctions for the unlawful possession or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs.

For the information of the Marlboro College Community, relevant sections of the laws of the State of Vermont pertaining to alcoholic beverages and regulated drugs are listed here.

State Law

Alcoholic Beverages

Minors Misrepresenting Age: A minor (any person under 21 years of age) who falsely represents his age for the purpose of procuring or who procures malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquor from any licensee, state liquor agency or other person or persons or who possesses malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquor for the purpose of consumption by himself OR OTHER MINORS, except in the regular performance of his duties as an employee of a licensee licensed to sell alcoholic liquor, shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

The state’s attorney may require as a condition of diversion that a person who is charged with a violation of this section who holds a license to operator a motor vehicle shall attend an alcohol and driving program at the person’s own expense. (Title 7, Section 657.)

Sale to Minors: A person, licensee or otherwise, who sells or furnishes a minor with malt or vinous beverages or spirituous liquors shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. (Title 7, Section 658.)

Violations of Title: A person, partnership, association or corporation who furnishes, sells, exposes, or keeps with intent to sell, bottles or prepares for sale any malt or vinous beverages or spirits, except as authorized by this title, or sells, barters, transports, imports, exports, delivers, prescribes, furnishes, or possesses alcohol, except as authorized by the liquor control board, or who manufactures alcohol or possesses a still or other apparatus for the manufacture of alcohol shall be imprisoned not more than twelve months, nor less than three months or fined not more than $1,000, nor less than $100, or both. For a subsequent conviction thereof within one year, such person, partnership, association or corporation shall be imprisoned not more than three years nor less than six months or fined not more than $2,000 nor less than $500, or both.

A person, partnership, association or corporation, who willfully violates a provision of this title fore which no other penalty is prescribed or who willfully violates a provision of the liquor control board shall be imprisoned not more than three months nor less than one month or fined not more than $200 nor less than $500, or both.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph of this section shall not apply to a violation of subsection 1005(a) of this title, relating to the purchase of tobacco products by a person less than 18 years of age. (Title 7, Section 667.)

Liquor Control Identification Cards, Offenses, Penalty: Any person who misrepresents his age, or practices any deceit in the procurement of an adult identification card, or has in his possession a false identification card, or uses or exhibits for the purpose of obtaining alcoholic beverages the identification card of another person or one which has been forged or altered, any person who loans or transfers his identification card to another for use in procurement of alcoholic beverages, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of $50 which fine shall not be suspended. (Title 7, Section 669.)

Tobacco

Persons Under the Age of Eighteen; Possession of Tobacco Products; Misrepresenting Age or Purchasing Tobacco Products; Penalty: A person less than 18 years of age shall not possess or purchase tobacco products unless the person is an employee of a holder of a tobacco license and is in possession of tobacco products to effect a sale in the course of employment. A person less than 18 years of age shall not misrepresent his or her age to purchase tobacco products. A person who possesses tobacco products in violation of this subsection shall be subject to having the tobacco products immediately confiscated and shall be further subject to a civil penalty of $25. In the case of failure to pay a penalty, the traffic and municipal ordinance bureau shall mail a notice to the person at the address in the complaint notifying the person that the failure to pay the penalty within 60 days of the notice will result in either the suspension of the person’s operator’s license for a period of not more than 90 days or delay the initial licensing of the person for a period of not more than one year. A copy of the notice shall be sent to the commissioner of motor vehicles, who after expiration of 60 days from the date of notice and unless notified by the traffic and municipal ordinance bureau that the penalty has been paid, shall either suspend the person’s operator’s license or cause initial licensing of the person to be delayed for the periods set forth in this subsection and the rules. An action under this subsection shall be brought in the same manner as a traffic violation pursuant to chapter 24 of title 23. The commissioner of motor vehicles shall adopt rules in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, which may provide for incremental suspensions or delays not exceeding cumulatively the maximum periods established by this subsection.

A person less than 18 years of age who misrepresents his or her age by presenting false identification to purchase tobacco products shall be fined not more than $50 or provide up to 10 hours of community service, or both. (Title 7, Section 1005.)

Regulated Drugs

It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, possess, have under his control, sell, prescribe, administer, dispense or compound any regulated drug. (Title 18, Section 4205.) Delivery or Sale to Minors: Selling on School Grounds: A person knowingly and unlawfully delivering any regulated drug to a person under the age of 18 who is at least three years that person’s junior shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than five ears or fined not more that $25,000, or both.

A person knowingly and unlawfully selling any regulated drug to a person under the age of 18 shall, in addition to any other penalty, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment o not more than ten years.

A person knowingly and unlawfully delivering or selling a regulated drug to a person under the age of 18 shall, in addition to any other penalty, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years.

A person knowingly and unlawfully delivering or selling a regulated drug on a school bus or in the real property comprising a public or private elementary, secondary, or vocational school shall, in addition to any other penalty, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years. (Title 18, Section 4237.)

A person convicted of second or subsequent offenses relating to regulated drugs is subject to double the prescribed fine or prison term, or both. (Title 18, Section 4238.)

Any vehicle used to transport, conceal or facilitate the production of any regulated drug may be seized by State authorities. (Title 18, Section 4241.)

Federal Law

Possession of drugs is illegal without valid authorization. While penalties for possession are generally not as great as for manufacture and distribution of drugs, possession of a relatively large quantity may be considered distribution. Under both state and federal laws, penalties for possession, manufacture and distribution are much greater for second and subsequent convictions. Many laws dictate mandatory prison terms and the full minimum term must be served.

Persons convicted of drug possession under state or federal law may be ineligible for federal student grants and loans for up to one (1) year after the first conviction and five (5) years after the second; the penalty for distributing drugs is loss of benefits for five (5) years after the first, ten (10) years after the second and permanently after the third conviction.

Under Federal law, distribution of drugs to persons under age 21 is punishable by twice the normal penalty with a mandatory one year in prison; a second conviction is punishable by three times the normal penalty; and a third conviction is punishable by mandatory life imprisonment. These penalties apply to distribution of drugs in or within 1,000 feet of a college or school (21USCS Section 860.). Federal law sets greatly heightened prison sentences for the manufacture and distribution of drugs if death or serious injury results from use of the substance.