According to Wechsler's most recent study,which has not yet been published, 25 percent ofHarvard students reported using marijuana in thepast year. The national average is 28 percent.

But Wechsler downplays the significance of druguse on campus.

"Illicit drug use and marijuana use are muchsmaller problems on college campuses than heavydrinking. alcohol use and smoking cigarettes," hesays.

While national statistics for drug use haverisen, Wechsler's numbers for Harvard have gonethe other way.

Between 1993 and 1997, a national sample showedan increase in the use of marijuana from 23.8percent to 27.8 percent. At the College, reporteduse fell from 29.4 percent to 25.0 percent overthe same period.

Wechsler cautions against directly comparingThe Crimson's recent survey with his data, notingthat while his survey gauges use over the pastyear, The Crimson's survey measured instances ofdrug use that occurred on campus during one'sentire career as a student.

A comprehensive survey by the Core Institute ofSouthern Illinois University also points toincreased drug use on the national level.

Data collected form 89,874 students at 171institutions of higher education showed 31 percentof students had used marijuana in the past year.The Core Institute reported an annual prevalencerate of 8 percent for hallucinogens and 4 percentfor cocaine.

Diagnosis: Difficult

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III says he is"troubled" by the survey results, and he isconcerned that students may be using drugs forlack of other social outlets.

Nodding to divergent theories that recreationaldrug use is either pleasure seeking orpsychological self-medication, Epps maintains thatan absence of social options on campus contributesto drug use at Harvard.

"There seems to be a different pattern of howpeople spend their free time," he says. "That freetime is not clustered on the weekend as it used tobe when I was a student. Attendance at footballgames is not a scene for social life as it oncewas."

Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59, director of theUniversity Health Services (UHS), expresses amixture of concern and resignation regardingcampus drug use.

"I think everybody acknowledges that it'ssome-thing that goes on at most colleges," hesays.

But, he adds, "it's of concern to us because weknow that the college behavior of students doesaffect their behavior later in life."