How long has it been since you last used marijuana in any form? How much money would you estimate you spend on marijuana in a typical week?
These are just two of the many questions posed to college students by e-TOKE.com, an online survey designed to let students examine their personal marijuana use and see how it compares to that of students at their own college and in the rest of the country.
E-TOKE, which stands for Electronic THC Online Knowledge Experience, was developed by Scott Walters, assistant professor of behavioral sciences at the University of Texas School of Public Health and Douglas Van Sickle, acting dean of students at San Diego State University. The program's counterpart is e-CHUG.com, which surveys students about their alcohol use. E-CHUG is currently used by 117 colleges around the country and has proved successful in making students aware of the amount of alcohol they consume, Walters said.
The e-TOKE site is designed to "give students very specific feedback that they can use to decide if they should cut down (their use)," Walters said. The idea is that students who use marijuana will take the survey and more accurately assess their behavior, which will then influence them to seek help. At the end of the survey, students are provided with the contact information of a professional at their school with whom they can talk if they are concerned about their use.
The program also aims to make students aware that not everyone is using marijuana. "The perceived culture norm and the actual cultural norm are different variables," said Jane Jones, coordinator of alcohol and other drug education at Colgate University, which is one of six schools where e-TOKE is being tested.
The other institutions are San Diego State, Duke University, Texas A&M University, the University of Nebraska and the University of San Diego.
If the program proves successful, it will be marketed to colleges and universities around the country for $575 a year starting at the end of March.
Walters said e-TOKE is part of a growing effort to address the increasing presence of marijuana on college campuses. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2001 revealed that from 1993 to 2001, the percentage of college students who use marijuana went up from 23 percent to 30 percent.
While studies show increasing marijuana use among college students, some colleges might not want to subscribe to e-TOKE because it could serve as bad public relations if it appears they are advertising a marijuana problem on their campus, Walters said.
Brown has not considered the possibility of subscribing to e-TOKE if it is marketed, said Frances Mantak, director of health education. The University has a program similar to e-CHUG called MyStudentBody.com, which gives students the opportunity to examine their personal behaviors and beliefs regarding alcohol, STDs and tobacco. MyStudentBody.com has been a helpful resource for Brown students, but it has been a challenge to get people to use it, Mantak said.
Though Brown has not subscribed to e-TOKE, anyone can go to the Web site and take a survey at www.e-TOKE.com.
