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About Us

The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) program is committed to reducing the negative impact associated with substance use, while cultivating an environment in which MSU employees can flourish personally, civically, and professionally.

Alcohol, Nicotine, and Drug Information

According to the National College Health Assessment National Faculty and Staff Health Assessment (Spring 2023), 30% of faculty and staff at higher-education institutions nationally reported that a personal problem with addiction to alcohol or drugs negatively impacted the performance and/or productivity at work within the past 12 months.

The use of alcohol and other substances can significantly impact both short- and long-term health. Many of us have developed habits around drinking alcohol or smoking that we hardly question. While these substances can be enjoyable, they come with health risks that often go unaddressed. It can be easy to lose track of when enjoyment crosses into risky territory.

Any amount of alcohol and other drug consumption carries some risk with it, including:

  • Immediate Health Risks. There are some immediate risks that are associated with heavy drinking, including injuries and violence.

  • Long-Term Health Risks. Other risks involve more long-lasting and potentially permanent damage to various body systems, including the heart and liver.

  • Psychological Risks. Drinking heavily over time also increases your risk for significant psychological and emotional problems, including depression and suicidal thoughts.

  • Risks to Changes in One's Appearance. Not always given as much thought but drinking really can change how you look physically.

  • Risk of Dependency on Alcohol. Drinking more than the recommended limits regularly for a long period of time increases the likelihood that you could become physically dependent on alcohol, making it that much more difficult to quit if you decide you want to.

If you are concerned about your substance use and considering change, you're not alone. Your choices are yours to make, and if you're ready to explore options for cutting down or quitting, you've come to the right place.

Ask Yourself:

  • Do I drink too much?

  • How would I know if I have a problem?

  • What does "problem" even mean?

Start by reflecting on whether you want to reduce your intake or quit entirely. As you navigate this journey, it's normal to experience mixed feelings-embrace the process!

Before making any changes, consult your doctor. For some, quitting alcohol or tobacco may require medical support.

Understanding "One Drink"

  • All drinks are not created equal, and it can be tricky to determine your actual intake.

  • Questions to consider:

  • What defines "one drink"?

  • How much alcohol is in a standard drink?

  • What constitutes alcohol misuse?

  • In the United States a standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces (14 grams) of pure alcohol.

  • Regardless of the type-beer, wine, or spirits-what matters is the amount of alcohol, not the beverage itself. For example:

  • 1 glass of wine (5 oz) ≈ 1 shot of whiskey (1.5 oz).

  • Beer:

  • A 12 oz. Labatt Blue (5% ABV*) = 1 standard drink.

  • A 12 oz. Bell's Expedition Stout (10.5% ABV) = 2 standard drinks.

  • Wine:

  • Standard wines (10-12% ABV) can be much stronger today. Some can reach up to 20% ABV.

  • Spirits:

  • Standard liquors are typically around 40% ABV, but some can be much higher (e.g., Booker's at 62% ABV).

*ABV stands for Alcohol by Volume and is a measure of the percentage of alcohol in an alcoholic beverage. Sometimes, alcohol content is listed as a proof, which is double the ABV

Mixed Drinks

  • The alcohol content can vary significantly:

  • A simple rum and coke might equal 1 standard drink, but a Long Island Iced Tea can contain up to 5 drinks worth of alcohol.

Don't Forget About Size!

  • Large servings (like oversized wine glasses) can hold the equivalent of a third of a bottle!

To understand your habits:

  1. Reflect on your drinking using the standard drink measure.

  1. Understand your pattern of drinking and if you show symptoms of alcohol use disorder with Rethinking Drinking resources. 

Once you're aware of your habits, consider low-risk and high-risk drinking guidelines. Start your journey to better understanding today!

eCHECKUP TO GO – Alcohol

Most individuals are likely to avoid harm related to alcohol use by either drinking in moderation and taking preventive measures or by abstaining from alcohol altogether. However, because alcohol abuse is closely linked to serious personal challenges, it is essential for wellbeing to monitor their drinking patterns, recognizes significant risk factors, and understands the resources and support available both on campus and in the community. Utilizing the Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO is an important first step in this process.

Taking care of ourselves is essential for fostering a vibrant and healthy Michigan State University community. Thank you for completing this program. Your dedication to becoming informed, compassionate, and proactive members of the Spartan community is greatly valued and appreciated.

The Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO is a brief, anonymous, and confidential interactive assessment tool designed to provide personalized feedback on alcohol use. It helps identify potential risks associated with drinking. Developed by San Diego State University, this tool is utilized by nearly 400 colleges and universities across 42 states, as well as in Canada and Australia. MSU employees (and students) can access this tool for free and may complete the assessment as many times as needed, enabling them to monitor their alcohol use over time.
When using eCHECKUP TO GO, you'll be asked to provide some personal information, including demographic details, your drinking habits, family history of alcohol use, and your perceptions of peer drinking behavior. Once you’ve submitted this information, the tool analyzes various factors and compares your responses to established assessment thresholds as well as national and local college norms. You will then receive personalized feedback in a clear, printable format, along with links to additional resources that explain your results and how your responses were interpreted.
To access eCHECKUP TO GO, click here and follow the instructions. If this is your first time using the tool, you will be assigned an ID number—please make a note of this number for future reference. It will be needed to log back in and track your responses over time, and it will also appear on the final printout of your personalized feedback. If you have used the tool before, simply enter your eCHECKUP TO GO ID number to continue. If you don't remember your ID number, you can still use the tool, but please note that it will not recognize your previous responses as the system does not track users through any other means.

eCHECKUP TO GO is designed as a confidential self-assessment tool to enhance individual awareness and personal knowledge. Consequently, the results of your assessment are solely for your use and will remain private. San Diego State University will only provide MSU with anonymous, aggregate data upon request. This data will be used to inform and improve educational initiatives that address the needs and interests of our campus community. 

How is this valuable to non-drinkers and low-risk drinkers?

eCHECKUP TO GO offers valuable information about alcohol, helping students recognize risk factors and patterns associated with dangerous drinking. It also provides a directory of local and campus resources for those struggling with alcohol or drug issues. Understanding this information can empower individuals to support friends in need and contribute to a safer, more enjoyable environment at MSU.

eCHECKUP TO GO - Marijuana

Most individuals are likely to avoid harm related to marijuana. However, because marijuana abuse is closely linked to serious personal challenges, it is essential for wellbeing to monitor their use, recognize significant risk factors, and understand the resources and support available both on campus and in the community. Utilizing the Marijuana eCHECKUP TO GO is an important first step in this process.

Taking care of ourselves is essential for fostering a vibrant and healthy Michigan State University community. Thank you for completing this program. Your dedication to becoming informed, compassionate, and proactive members of the Spartan community is greatly valued and appreciated.

The Marijuana eCHECKUP TO GO is a brief, anonymous, and confidential interactive assessment tool designed to assess marijuana use among college students. The assessment is self-guided and requires no face-to-face contact time with a counselor or administrator.
The Cannabis eCHECKUP TO GO will provide you with accurate and personalized feedback about your individual pattern of cannabis use, your risk patterns, your aspirations and goals, and helpful resources at Michigan State University and in your community.
To access eCHECKUP TO GO, click here and follow the instructions. If this is your first time using the tool, you will be assigned an ID number—please make a note of this number for future reference. It will be needed to log back in and track your responses over time, and it will also appear on the final printout of your personalized feedback. If you have used the tool before, simply enter your eCHECKUP TO GO ID number to continue. If you don't remember your ID number, you can still use the tool, but please note that it will not recognize your previous responses as the system does not track users through any other means.
eCHECKUP TO GO is designed as a confidential self-assessment tool to enhance individual awareness and personal knowledge. Consequently, the results of your assessment are solely for your use and will remain private. San Diego State University will only provide MSU with anonymous, aggregate data upon request. This data will be used to inform and improve educational initiatives that address the needs and interests of our campus community. 

Resources

 

Interested in community resources? Check out the list of resources here.

  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA’s National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357) is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorder. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information. There is a online treatment locator as well.

  • Smart Recovery® (Self-Management And Recovery Training) helps people recover from all types of addictive behaviors, including: alcoholism, drug use disorder, substance use disorder, drug addiction, alcohol use disorder, gambling addiction, cocaine addiction, and addiction to other substances and activities. SMART Recovery® offers free face-to-face and online mutual help groups. The website provides more information about the group, as well as links to the 300+ face-to-face meetings offered around the world, 16+ online meetings per week and their online message board for additional support.

  • SMART Recovery Podcasts- SMART Recovery podcasts offer topics from various professionals on different aspects of recovery, ranging from self-esteem to anxiety to the science of addiction. SMART Recovery is an evidence based approach that can support one in achieving harm reduction or abstinence.

  • Sober Cast- Sober Cast was started by an anonymous podcaster who could not find AA speaker meetings in a podcast medium. Sober Cast features recordings of AA speaker meetings and workshops. Speaker meetings include the personal stories of individuals who no longer use alcohol. Workshop topics include How to Find a Sponsor, People of Color, LGBTQ, and Sex and Sobriety.

  • Recovery Elevator- Recovery Elevator is a team formed by Paul Churchill. Paul made the personal decision to quit drinking and has been sober since 2014. Paul and his team offer multiple podcasts related to addiction. It involves a mix of professional resources, interviews, and personal stories of individuals who have recovered from addiction.

  • The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation- is an addiction treatment and advocacy organization. The Foundation includes the nation's largest addiction and recovery publishing house, an addiction research center, as well as a prevention and educational unit for family members and professionals. The podcasts range from professional to personal experiences with addiction. The podcasts skew a bit clinical, but there is worthwhile information, in particular for the audience that wants to know more about the science of addiction.

  • AlcoholScreening.org- helps individuals assess their own alcohol consumption patterns to determine if their drinking is likely to be harming their health or increasing their risk for future harm. Through education and referral, the site urges folks whose drinking is harmful or hazardous to take positive action, and informs all adults who consume alcohol about guidelines and caveats for lower-risk drinking.

  • Drinkaware- Alcohol Unit and Calorie Calculator. Drinkaware is an independent British alcohol awareness charity that provides consumers with information about the effects of alcohol. They have a great tool that they call "The Unit Calculator," which calculates how many standard drinks (units of alcohol) you have consumed over the course of one drinking session. However, the site is British, so they use the metric system, making it a little tricky for some of us non-metric Americans to know exactly how much to enter when it asks you if you had a half pint or 350mL of Bud last night.

  • Rethinking Drinking- Rethinking Drinking, created by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Association of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), has a pretty slick Cocktail Content Calculator. Basically, they present you with a list of common cocktails (Margarita, Martini, etc) that you can choose from. Pick one, and they'll show you the ingredients of that drink, how much alcohol is in the cocktail, and how many standard drinks are contained in that one drink.

Recovery TV- Recovery TV was founded by Los Angeles SMART Recovery facilitator Ted Perkins. Recovery TV focuses on providing researched and unbiased news, useful information, positive reinforcement, motivation and inspiration that can help guide you or someone you care about towards a healthier life.

Contact Us

 

Interested in learning more? Contact Hailey Gosen at gosenhai@msu.edu.