Low rates of alcohol and tobacco use, strong cultural ties for Native American college students in the Southwest

Introduction: College attendance is associated with an increased risk for substance use yet we know little about substance use among Native American college students and its regional variation. This study examined alcohol, tobacco, and drug use and their relation to gender, institution, age, and cultural involvement among Native American college students in the Southwest. Methods: Native American community college and university students in a large Southwest city (N = 347) completed an online survey about past-month and lifetime substance use and involvement in cultural activities. Results: Cultural involvement was related to less past-month substance use. In the past month, 43% drank alcohol, 27% binge drank, 20% used drugs, and 13% were current smokers. Males, community college students, and older individuals were more likely to have a positive CAGE-AID and have used drugs more than 100 times. Younger individuals were more likely to use marijuana in the past month. Conclusions: These findings highlight cultural strengths and comparatively low rates of tobacco and alcohol use among Native American college students in the Southwest.