The Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention

Background

Since its inception on July 1, 1992, the UNM Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention has been under supervision of the Prevention Division of the UNM Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions (CASAA) with the administrative oversight by the Vice President for Student Affairs. COSAP is charged with two broad objectives:

  • Ensure UNM's compliance with federal regulations related to substance abuse including the Drug-Free Workplace Act and the higher education provisions of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act; and
  • Coordinate, enhance, and develop substance abuse prevention programs for all members of the campus community in conjunction with existing UNM and community services.

In addition, the COSAP Advisory Board and its subcommittees have become a forum for reviewing and developing campus policies related to the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse.

COSAP Mission

The mission of the Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) is to work with the students, faculty, and staff members of the University of New Mexico to create a healthy campus environment free from the negative consequences of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse. In addition to taking action to eliminate or reduce the incidence of substance abuse on campus, COSAP is committed to cooperating with and encouraging similar efforts in the surrounding communities and in other institutions of higher education.

Substance abuse prevention activities are designed to foster a dominant campus atmosphere which undermines positive perceptions of alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse, promotes realistic estimates of the prevalence of use and abuse, reduces personal and environmental risk factors, and enhances protective factors including attitudes which favor the following norms:

  • Abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs is acceptable and supported in all situations.
  • Illegal use of alcohol or other drugs (including underage drinking) is unacceptable in all situations: UNM is a drug-free campus.
  • Moderate use of alcohol is neither actively opposed nor encouraged in low-risk situations, although alcohol consumption on campus is highly restricted by current law and regulations.
  • Any use of alcohol is unacceptable in high risk situations (such as driving).
  • Heavy Drinking is unacceptable in all situations.