The government’s war on drugs may have been lost on college students - especially when it comes to marijuana, according to a recently released study.

Harvard University’s School of Public Health conducted the College Alcohol Study in 1993, 1997 and 1999, surveying more than 14,000 students in colleges and universities nationwide.

The results of the study show marijuana usage among U.S. college students increased 22 percent between 1993 and 1999.

Jasmine Greenamyer, a health educator at Olin Health Center, thinks she knows where the fight against the drug went wrong.

“We’ve done such a good job vilifying alcohol use that people are going after marijuana now,” said Greenamyer, who is in charge of the alcohol, tobacco and other drugs program at Olin. “(College students) are more attracted to it because they don’t feel it’s as harmful and they feel as though they won’t get busted as easily.”

She added that many of those who report marijuana use often started in high school and carry those habits with them to college.

“We’re finding that people are smoking earlier,” she said. “They’re accessing it in high school. By the time they get to college, it’s already their drug of choice.”

Greenamyer said student misconceptions contribute to the increase in marijuana use.

“Everyone thinks this drug is harmless,” she said. “But it affects the immune system, the respiratory system and the endocrine system - for women it can disrupt ovulation. It disrupts thought patterns, it disrupts new learning