Chemical Use and Abuse

Members of the Northwestern community stand together to protect our community from any illegal or dangerously addictive substances, knowing they can destroy the lives of all who become entangled with them. Members of the community understand that sometimes, for the cause of a stronger, safer environment and the support of each other, we are called to exercise our freedom to abstain from activities that might cause others to fall away.

Northwestern will not promote the use of alcohol and will not tolerate the abuse of alcohol. While enrolled in the traditional undergraduate program (part- or full-time), students, regardless of age, will exercise their freedom to refrain from the possession or consumption of alcohol (including non-alcoholic beer or “near beer”). Students will not remain present during the use or possession of alcohol by other Northwestern students or underage individuals.  This includes being in the presence of empty alcohol containers (regardless of whether you are consuming). 

Community members, who are not enrolled in the traditional undergraduate program (employees, Distance Education students, Focus students, and graduate students) and who are 21 or older, will exercise their freedom to refrain from the con­sumption of alcohol at any Northwestern related function and at any setting in which traditional undergraduate students are or are likely to be present.

Northwestern prohibits the sale, posses­sion, and use of illegal drugs (including paraphernalia) and the recre­ational use and abuse of over-the-counter and pharmaceutical drugs.

Additional violations include:

• Hosting or being present with individuals that are in violation of the drugs policy.
• Disrupting or disturbing others related to drug use on or off campus, including the odor of marijuana.

Northwestern will not participate in the casual acceptance of tobacco. While enrolled at Northwestern, traditional undergraduate mem­bers of the community will exercise their freedom to refrain from the use of tobacco (including electronic vaporizers and/or “e-cigarettes”). Students will not remain present during the use of possession of these products by other Northwestern students.

Northwestern-related functions will be alcohol-free, tobacco-free, and drug-free. This means that the possession or consumption of alcohol, the use of tobacco in any form, and the possession or use of non-medicinal drugs will be prohibited in, on, or around all campus properties, owned or leased. The same prohibition applies to all Northwestern vehicles, whether on or off-campus, and to all Northwestern events or programs, wherever they may be held.

Updated December 2021