College-age students are more likely to drive drugged than any other age group, a national survey released this week said.
But among MSU students, officials say that might not be the case.
According to a survey released Tuesday by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, 41 percent of young adults are not concerned about getting behind the wheel after using drugs.
The study, which included people ages 12 to 65, said 21-year-olds lead the group of 11 million people who have driven under the influence of drugs. Information in the survey also has spawned initiatives to educate students about the dangers of "drugged driving."
Dennis Martell, interim director of health education at Olin Health Center, said recent health assessments show MSU students are making good choices about impaired driving.
"The best-kept secret on campus is that most of our students make really good decisions," he said. "Those people who think they've had too much, they don't drive."
Officials from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said people should be aware of their driving habits and be responsible.
"People think that marijuana doesn't affect driving," said Brian Blake, spokesman for the organization. "In fact, some believe it makes them drive better, which is ridiculous."
Blake said his office is working with several organizations on a nationwide campaign which includes Steer Clear of Pot, an initiative to educate people on the issues of drugged driving and the harmful effects of drug use.
"We're trying to raise awareness," he said. "People need to police themselves and their own lives and break some of that mythology about marijuana down."
Blake said drugged driving usually goes unnoticed by law enforcement officials because the driver is often under the influence of alcohol as well.
East Lansing police Capt. Juli Liebler said current initiatives such as seat belt enforcement and drunken driving are higher priorities than cracking down on drivers operating under the influence of drugs.
"We rarely see cases where people are arrested for that," Liebler said. "It doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
"It's just more difficult to detect."
Homer Smith, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Michigan, said the connection between alcohol and drugs helped influence a law signed in July that lowered the legal blood-alcohol limit to .08.
Smith said even though not as many accidents are related to drugged driving, it is still an issue that needs to be addressed.
"Certainly we've seen an increase not just across the state but across the country with alcohol and drugged driving on campus," Smith said.
But the high rates of college-age drugged driving in the Office of National Drug Control Policy's report came as a surprise to some MSU students.
"It's really stupid," no-preference sophomore Makeda Jacobs said. "It's just embarrassing. For me as a young person, car insurance is already really high. People get into enough accidents already."
Kate Brock, a student affairs administration graduate student, said college students should be held responsible for their actions.
"The rules should definitely apply to them," she said. "They have the opportunity to educate themselves and know the consequences. They should know better than a 15-year-old who still thinks he's invincible."
Emily Bingham can be reached at binghame@msu.edu.
