Penn State bust put focus on cocaine but on most campuses the big risk is alcohol
A recent drug bust at Penn State University has brought attention to cocaine use on college campuses. However, experts note that cocaine use among young adults is actually declining, with alcohol and cannabis remaining the most prevalent substances.
Why it matters
It highlights the discrepancy between high-profile criminal investigations and broader public health trends, helping to contextualize campus safety concerns.
Anastasiia Korotkova/Getty Images When Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday laid out details about an alleged drug ring that funneled kilos of cocaine to students at Penn State University, the case raised specters of the 1980s when coke was a popular party drug among young Americans.
"Cocaine was often packaged at the fraternity houses and the packaging was done by fraternity brothers and oftentimes pledges," Sunday said at a press conference August 17 , where he confirmed 14 people had been arrested.
"The actual drug dealing was largely from friend to friend … and at fraternity houses and during parties," he added, describing a large-scale criminal enterprise that operated in 2023 and 2024.
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