The Vermont cynic
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE DRUG ISSUE: APRIL 2025
1 - News
Number of disciplinary referrals for drug use, liquor law violations drop by nearly half since 2014
Jessie Pennington
3 - Features
Change of pace: the sober student experience
Anna Bouchard
5
A reinforcing cycle: the link between substance use and disordered eating
Makayla Early
Rhiannon Hubbard
7 - Culture
Border-hopping for booze: the under-21 escape for UVM students
Paige Bencken
9 - Opinion
Point: Burlington should have a safe injection site
Olivia Langlan
11 - Culture
The 10 sesh commandments
Maggie Swanborn
12
Quiz: What kind of drunk are you?
Mackenzie Bender
13 - Opinion
Music, art, the planets, floating heads and the future: the magic of LSD
Ashley Golden
15 - Sports
Creatine and caffeine: powder culture at UVM
Morgan Milman
16 - Podcast
In the mix
Charlotte King
Natalie RichardsonWymore
Ask the cats
Taylor Abrams 10
Counterpoint: Why Burlington shouldn’t have a safe injection site
Scout Kennon
Helena De Castro
Dear readers,
Welcome to our one and only printed issue of the semester: the Drug Issue.
Like with the Sex Issue, printed last fall, we are excited to be able to supply you with something of a slightly different strain. Our unique print issues allow us to highlight topics often overshadowed by daily life.
We hope this issue provides entertainment, representation and insight, while also touching on topics that need our full, sober attention.
This issue is reflective of many of the diverse and nuanced topics surrounding drug use that impact our campus. With a primary focus on student experience, we also understand our unique relationship to these substances.
In a country and a city both currently experiencing devastating drug epidemics, confounded by additional surges in mental health crises and rates of homelessness, we know that we, as students and as young journalists, write and read about these topics from places of extreme privilege.
While we, as UVM students, enjoy the safety to witness these phenomena from afar and even use drugs quite safely, many cannot enjoy the same kind of indulgence, including some of our fellow peers.
With that being said, we hope UVM’s vibrant, lasting, and open drug culture can allow us to acknowledge these problematic realities and, upon reflecting, can instill within us the power and hope to work against these problems in whatever way we can.
This issue does not solve those problems, although we hope to bring them to the front of your minds and into our campus discussions.
While the theme of the issue is drugs, there lies a secondary theme: identity and self-perception. As you read, think about how you perceive yourself, others and the world through the lens of drug use — and whether or not you’d change these perspectives.
We also hope to provide commentary representative of students here at this specific moment in history on other aspects of drug culture, drug use and its impacts, whether that be in an emotional, cultural, physical or social context. No spoilers, though.
Please feel free to laugh, feel, reflect and imagine as you parse through these pages. In the meantime, we’ll wait patiently to be on the stands again. Hope to see you there.
Happy belated 4/20: continue to celebrate and be mindful.
To our staff, we cherish you and are proud of you. Thank you for taking this trip with us.
Take care,
Zoe Bertsch Co-Editor-in-Chief
Annalisa Madonia Managing Editor
PAGE DESIGNER GRACE WANG
COPY CHIEF
ALYSSA SULLIVAN
CULTURE EDITOR ERIKA TALLY
SPORTS EDITOR BUSY ANDERSON
FEATURES EDITOR NORA SISSENICH
ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
RHIANNON HUBBARD
NEWS EDITOR NOAH DIEDRICH
OPERATIONS MANAGER JAY THOMAS
CO-OPINION EDITORS
AYELET KAMINSKI
OLIVIA LANGLAN
ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR ALEX PORIER
PHOTO EDITORS
ALEX STRAND
ELIZABETH SMITH
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR SARAH KOEGLER
PODCASTS EDITOR NATALIE RICHARDSONWYMORE
DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR EMMA DINSMORE
ACTING FACULTY ADVISER CAROLYN SHAPIRO
Number of disciplinary referrals for drug use, liquor law violations drop by nearly half since 2014
BY JESSIE PENNINGTON
Between 2014 and 2023, the number of disciplinary referrals given out for drug and alcohol use has dropped by nearly 50%, according to data from 10 years worth of UVM’s annual security reports.
In 2014, there were 346 drug use violations that resulted in disciplinary referrals. In 2023, this number was 164 violations, meaning disciplinary referrals were handed out at a 47% lower rate.
For liquor law violations, 713 disciplinary referrals were given in 2014, whereas 370 were noted in 2023, a 51.89% decrease.
Michael Schirling, UVM chief safety and compliance officer, said there were a host of changes that might have contributed to the drop in referral numbers.
“There have been changes to the student body,” Schirling said. “There’s changes in demographics, there’s changes in the makeup of in-state versus out-of-state students, the academic competitiveness to get in [and] the size of the student body.”
However, there’s another more surprising possibility: UVM students may be partying less than they were 10 years ago.
“There has also been a trend in decreasing numbers of large scale parties and disruptive kinds of activities in neighborhoods that used to be fairly prominent,” Schirling said.
Most disciplinary referrals come through University Housing and Dining Services units, but UVM Police Services also make a cross section of referrals with the Center of Student Conduct, Schirling said.
Drug and alcohol referrals are sent either to the Center of Student Conduct or the Vermont Catamount Recovery Center. Schirling said it’s possible that less referrals have been going to the latter, and that’s why the numbers have decreased in recent years.
Tom Fontana, the alcohol, cannabis, and drugs initiatives manager at UVM’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, said that there
are often correlations between drug use and other citations, such as vandalism and noise complaints.
On the question of cannabis, Fontana said that UVM’s data suggests that the University’s usage has been at times higher than the national average. But in the last decade, when other parts of the country have increased, UVM’s use has roughly stayed the same.
A 2020 study found an 8% increase in college students who abstained from alcohol and cannabis from 2002 to 2018.
“For alcohol, we were, for the first time ever, a few years ago, below the national average,” Fontana said.
Residential advisor policy hasn’t relaxed in any ways that would have caused the drop in numbers — rather, there have been added restrictions, Fontana said.
Nowadays, if a resident advisor finds an open alcohol container or empty can in a room during health and safety inspections,
“For alcohol, we were, for the first time ever, a few years ago, below the national average.
that student will receive a policy violation.
Vermont’s legalization of cannabis in 2022 may have contributed to students receiving less disciplinary referrals, Fontana said. In the past, the smell of cannabis meant calling the police, often resulting in a fine towards the student involved. UVM has stopped calling police for that, he said.
“That is the only kind of policy change that probably artificially knocked down our numbers,” Fontana said. “Artificially in the sense that it doesn’t mean habits changed — it means we were intervening with it differently. But other than that, I think [the data] reflects some kind of behavior decreasing.”
Fontana also said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, police numbers have decreased. Police used to be stationed on campus more thoroughly, specifically in the first weekends of school; however as a result of the decrease in staffing, there’s less prominent enforcement.
Fontana said some of this is impacted by
the tools UVM has put into place. Former UVM President Tom Sullivan convened a drug and alcohol committee in 2014 to look at what UVM’s best practices could be.
The committee then began Monthly Measures, a routine survey in which UVM asks students questions about substance use, depression and anxiety, which Fontana said has gradually impacted the figure, in combination with a national trend to drink less.
“We only get about a 30% response rate, but in aggregate, every month, those together give us some pretty cool numbers,” he said.
Laura Lee, interim director for community standards, said the Center for Student Conduct primarily receives reports from UVM Police. When the center receives a report that alleges a policy violation, they individually review a report and schedule a conduct meeting with the student if needed. Typically, the outcome of these referrals
is required completion of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students program, as well as required meeting with a staff member who reviews their results and relationship with substances, Lee said.
“We used to, years ago, use fines specifically for alcohol and other drugs,” Lee said. “[Now] we use BASICS, primarily. We have a number of written reflective outcomes that we use if it feels appropriate.”
Additionally, Lee said that Student Conduct has made changes over the past few years on how they word referrals and student meetings.
“The field of Student Conduct in particular [is] shifting to be less punitive in terms of language, in terms of the approach to be more student-focused and more educationally focused,” Lee said.
Photo by Jacob Derwid
CHANGE OF PACE: the sober student experience
BY ANNA BOUCHARD
Drug and alcohol use are often more noticeable than sobriety.
“We hear drunk, we see drunk, and it makes us think more people are drinking than are,” said Tom Fontana, alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs initiatives manager at UVM’s Center for Health and Wellbeing.
The same applies to weed consumption. The drug’s strong smell gives the impression that more students are regular consumers of weed than reality, said Fontana.
When substance use is visible, it can become the new normal.
“There’s this weird social pressure that’s put on us from a very young age, that college is where you go to have all these big parties and get drunk and high without any real consequences,” said an anonymous sober student. “I realize I’m not exactly doing what’s considered the norm, and I know that people would believe that I’m missing out on that front.”
In a space where many feel drug and alcohol use is the expectation, five students reflect on sobriety at UVM.
Making the shift
Ella and Amber, a sophomore couple at UVM who requested to use pseudonyms to protect their privacy, have stopped consuming alcohol and weed, respectively.
Ella decided to stop drinking alcohol last summer after realizing its negative impact on her social life.
“It’s like a cycle where you think ‘I’m not drunk enough to have this conversation or to be social.’ You get used to just being
drunk to do normal activities that you could do sober,” she said. “Then when you’re not drinking, you feel kind of weird because you’re used to the social lubricant of alcohol.”
This realization, combined with the desire to focus on developing hobbies, led to her decision to avoid alcohol when she returned to UVM for her sophomore year.
Ella continues to smoke occasionally, something that her girlfriend Amber gave up last fall semester.
Amber started smoking socially during her first year and gradually began smoking on her own. Being a “stoner” was a significant part of her identity. Her Hello Kitty rolling tray, scorpion pipe and pink rolling papers were items that she was proud of and enjoyed showing to others, she said.
After significant impacts on her mental health, she was forced to stop using weed.
“I had to stop smoking because of complications with my bipolar disorder. I went through a manic episode that induced psychosis, and I think that weed accelerated that process. Now what’s on the line of me smoking weed is losing my sanity,” she said.
Amber said that she misses the experience of smoking. The social, scientific and spiritual aspects of weed were all significant appeals.
“Sometimes I think, ‘oh, maybe one day when this is all over, I can smoke again,’” she said. “But that’s such a harmful idea.”
For junior Celie Kreilkamp, the decision to stop consuming weed was easy.
“I realized that it just wasn’t fun any-
more,” she said.
The anxiety that smoking gave her did not align with the positive highs her friends experienced. This negative side effect, combined with starting a job with a strict anti-drug policy, led to her giving up weed.
“It’s been super easy,” Kreilkamp said. “I’m just never having those sort of moments of really high anxiety that it was giving me before.”
As she already smoked infrequently, stopping was not a significant lifestyle change.
“I think [sobriety] can be so built up in people’s heads, and if [smoking] is a huge part of your day-to-day routine, maybe that would be a big shift,” she said. “We’re lucky to be in a legal state. If taking advantage of that is fun to you, then do that. If not, then don’t.”
The social element
On a trip to Canada, sophomore Rachel, who declined to include her last name, tried her first alcoholic drink. After taking a few sips, she decided that alcohol was not for her.
“I’m pretty upfront about it. If anyone asks if I want anything to drink, I just say no, and people generally take it for an answer,” she said.
Rachel said that her peers have been accepting of her not using weed, but that some have questioned her avoidance of alcohol.
“People honestly get weirded out. Not when I say that I don’t want to smoke or anything, but when I say I don’t want to drink, people take that as ‘Oh that’s odd. That’s weird. Why would you not want to drink?’” said Rachel.
An anonymous sophomore said that she had the opposite experience, with students being very understanding of her avoidance of alcohol, but that she was often treated as naive for not being interested in trying weed.
Even though she was never pressured by anyone to drink, the anonymous student said that the social aspect of drinking sometimes made her feel like the odd one out for not participating.
Ella, whose friend group consists of a lot of heavy drinkers, says that being sober among them is an interesting experience.
“It’s more just a personal choice. I would say I don’t judge anyone who [drinks],” she said.
While she is glad to be sober, Ella said the journey was not a fun process. Her first year, a significant portion of her social life
was accompanied by drinking. When she stopped, she learned that places she previously enjoyed and people she hung out with were no longer fun to be around.
Another big change for Ella was the amount of free time she had. Previously, choices like deciding to go out on a Friday night would become a two-day activity between drinking and recovering, she said.
“You’re going to realize that you don’t have hobbies, and that drinking is a large hobby,” she said. “I picked up a lot this summer when I stopped drinking. I had a lot of free time when I wasn’t hungover.”
Ella also said that the friendships she has kept and made since becoming sober are more meaningful than the ones she previously had.
4/20
On April 20, many UVM students celebrate the weed-centric holiday across campus. For sober students, the day can be less than pleasant.
“It will be a day of mourning,” said Amber.
Amber enjoyed the celebration during her first year, but concerns about getting a secondhand high and her inability to participate are leading both her and Ella to spend the day off campus.
“I absolutely love it for everyone else, and I understand how [weed] can fit into people’s lives in a healthy way,” said Amber. “I just have to not smoke weed, and I understand that’s a choice I have to make.”
Rachel will also be leaving campus for the day. She looks forward to spending the day with her family and avoiding the pungent smell of weed, which she finds unpleasant.
Kreilkamp, on the other hand, is looking forward to the celebrations. The novelty of smoking is something that she misses, and she finds the event fun even without weed use.
“The 4/20 celebrations on the Redstone green are always kind of fun and sweet, even if you’re not smoking,” she said.
Healthy substance use looks different for everyone, and so does sobriety. Acknowledging the challenges and benefits to substance use, developing hobbies and surrounding yourself with friends who will support you are key elements to a healthy relationship with drugs and alcohol, said Amber.
“No sobriety journey is linear,” said Amber. “Don’t get discouraged if you make a mistake.”
Photo Illustration by Annalisa Madonia
REINFORCING
CYCLE:
The link between substance use and disordered eating
BY MAKAYLA EARLY & RHIANNON HUBBARD
Content warning: this piece contains discussion of disordered eating.
In elementary school, sophomore food systems major Connor Byrne was prescribed Adderall for his ADHD after being labeled a “disruption” to his class.
However, as he got older, the drug began to control him differently: he began to fixate on his weight.
Throughout the years, Byrne had taken Adderall on and off, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, he started taking the drug consistently again. During this time, he noticed shifts in his mood and hunger levels, which led to significant weight loss, he said.
Then summer came, and the lack of classwork reduced his need for the medication, so he stopped taking it.
“I started gaining weight again, and it scared me,” Byrne said. “I told myself that I would be happier if I didn’t regain weight, so I would take [Adderall].”
This fear prompted his tumultuous relationship with food and eating, he said.
Byrne is not alone. Three point seven million people in the U.S. reported misusing prescription stimulants in the past year, according to a 2021 survey from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Adderall and other stimulants work by increasing the activity of norepinephrine and dopamine in the central nervous system, which can have an unintended side effect of decreasing appetite in users, according to the American Addiction Centers.
Further, research has established a strong link between substance use and eating disorders.
Thirty-five percent of people with alcohol or drug dependencies also have EDs, a rate that is 11 times higher than the general population, according to the National Eat-
ing Disorders Association.
Additionally, 50% of people with pre-existing EDs abuse alcohol or drugs, which is a rate five times higher than the general population, according to the NEDA website.
“The most commonly used substances for body image-related purposes include nicotine (via smoking or vaping), prescription stimulants (like Adderall), cocaine, diet pills, laxatives, and anabolic steroids,” stated psychology professor Antonio Cepeda-Benito in a March 26 email to the Cynic.
These drugs are often used for appetite suppression, weight loss or gaining muscle mass, most frequently in populations that experience heightened pressures regarding appearance and emotional vulnerability, which predominantly includes young women, he stated.
In particular, for tobacco and nicotine, drugs that can have appetite-suppressing effects, usage is higher among people with EDs, according to a 2023 article in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
A sophomore, who requested to remain anonymous, opened up about how his nicotine addiction impacts his appetite.
During his first year, he participated in a “Three Day Two Dollar Challenge” for UVM’s World Food, Population & Development course in the community development and applied economics department. The challenge is designed to put students in the position of people living on food stamps by requiring them to spend only $2 per day on food.
Unlike most of his friends in the class, he fully committed to the project, with one exception: he allowed himself to buy a vape. Previously, he had successfully quit vaping the summer before starting college.
“For the span of three days, I was eating
peanut butter on bread and vaping, exclu sively, and it helped so much to keep my mind off food,” the anonymous sophomore said. “It was unfortunate, but in the moment it was exactly what was needed.”
The three days ended; however, the nicotine addiction and impacts on his eating habits remained. Despite recently committing to quitting vaping again, he still frequently uses Zyns, smokes cigarettes and chews Nicorette gum, he said.
“The appetite suppressant aspect of vaping and nicotine is very much still a thing,” the anonymous sophomore said. “There are nights where I miss dinner, and I’ll just be sitting in bed, and the only thing I’ve got is the vape. It does the trick in certain aspects. But it’s not healthy.”
He acknowledges how this behavior exhibits unhealthy dependencies.
“It’s very much an addiction, and it’s a habit I’m not proud of and that I don’t think people should embrace,” he said. “It’s rough; it’s prioritizing physical appearance over what’s going on inside.”
Cepeda-Benito also acknowledges this relationship between smoking and vaping and people with eating disorder habits.
manticizing that stuff does create a fucked up community, especially in online spaces.”
However, their relationship with EDs and substance use is different, as they’ve found smoking weed can help them eat more.
“I would use my ED as an excuse to smoke marijuana because I could think that it was helping me eat more, but that isn’t a good thing,” the second anonymous sophomore said. “It’s definitely not the way to go about recovery. It just helps build a dependency.”
Dependencies on drugs related to EDs not only can prolong the ED itself, but it can also harmfully reinforce the user’s expectation of what the drug might be able to provide them, according to Cepeda-Benito.
A 2021 study conducted by Emily Pomicher, clinical psychology PhD student at UVM and one of Cepeda-Benito’s students,
Knowing the side effects that certain drugs can have on appetite can affect how belief systems towards EDs are constructed, but Byrne felt as though Adderall’s side effects regarding appetite were never explicitly conveyed to him, he said.
For Byrne, who has a concentration in nutrition, being clear about the side effects drugs can have on eating patterns should be more clearly acknowledged.
“Nutrition should be treated more seriously, especially in children,” Byrne said. “I think it’s important to get people medication if they need it, but it’s also important to say, ‘Hey, there’s some side effects, and eating is one of them.’”
This lack of transparency regarding the side effects of drugs is present for both prescription and non-prescription drugs.
“There’s a reason that a lot of the time at ED treatment centers, there’s support groups for substance use.”
“Some people see [smoking and vaping] as a quick, even socially acceptable way to avoid eating or to stay thin,” Cepeda-Benito stated.
This prioritization of physical appearance fuels the normalization of EDs, which itself has been fueled by social media.
A 2023 meta-analysis of 50 studies published in PLOS Global Public Health found that social media usage increases the risk of disordered eating habits across 17 countries, including the U.S.
A second anonymous sophomore, who recently received treatment for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder and is currently on a medical leave of absence, has noticed this romanticization of EDs online.
On various social media platforms, they’ve seen the popularity of photos online labeled “breakfast,” with photos of vapes or cigarettes next to a coffee, they said.
“Nicotine is so romanticized as part of the ED aesthetic, and you see so much on the internet, this ‘drug user skinny,’” the second anonymous sophomore said. “It all comes from a very unhealthy place, and ro-
explored this idea of drug expectancies. The study found that weight-control expectancies held among smokers and vapers were linked to higher levels of nicotine dependence.
“What Emily’s study shows is that it’s not just about what nicotine does — it’s about what people think it does,” Cepeda-Benito stated. “When those beliefs get tied to body image concerns, they can drive long-term substance use, just as they can reinforce disordered eating.”
The intertwined realities of EDs and substance use can lead to a cycle of reinforcement that does not go unnoticed.
“There’s a reason that a lot of the time at ED treatment centers, there’s support groups for substance use,” the second anonymous sophomore said. “Treatment centers will call the two co-occurring all the time.”
Considering the social factors and mental expectancies that affect this reinforcing nature of EDs and substance abuse, and addressing both behaviors and belief systems in recovery is important, Cepeda-Benito stated.
For the first anonymous sophomore, nicotine’s effects on appetite is something that is not talked about enough. “People will say, ‘oh, your gums are going to recede, you’re going to get lung cancer,’ but no, you’re also going to be skipping meals before you get any of that stuff,” he said. For the second anonymous sophomore, being aware of these side effects can also help someone acknowledge within themselves why they’re using drugs.
“You can’t recover from an ED if the only reason you’re getting enough food is because you get stoned and start to eat more,” they said. “I think it’s possible for someone to have a healthy relationship with drugs who’s recovering from an ED, but it’s really something to be candid about.”
By looking back on his experience, Byrne understands the importance of seeking support from those around you and within yourself to resolve these struggles.
“It’s important, no matter what level, if you’ve skipped a meal once, or if you skip lunch almost every day, to first recognize that and challenge yourself to accept that,” Byrne said. “Even if it’s infrequent, you’re still allowed to ask for help.”
If you or someone you know are struggling with disordered eating, on-campus resources are available. Contact Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS) online or at (802) 656-3340 to connect with professional support.
Illustration by Clare McCormack
BORDER HOPPING FOR BOOZE
The under-21 escape for UVM students
BY PAIGE BENCKEN
To many UVM students, Montreal isn’t just a destination for a long weekend, it’s a rite of passage.
Every year, thousands of students ditch their fake IDs, grab their passports and set off to the Canadian promised land, where the clubs welcome them with open arms and a hefty cover charge.
“I typically go to Montreal to club,” sophomore Eamon Graves said, speaking for the majority.
Travelling mostly by car and bus, although one person reported biking, Catamounts cross the border and transform into legal alcohol consumers.
On Canadian soil, the thrill of legally sipping cocktails in a Montreal club can make the dance floor feel worlds away from the dimly lit bars back in Burlington.
“What, are they gonna X-ray vodka, and be able to tell that it’s vodka and not water?”
According to a school-wide survey posted on Snapchat, most respondents agreed that Montreal clubbing is much better than Burlington.
“You’re not going to find somewhere in Burlington that has a multi-tiered club with huge light displays and crazy strobe lights and actually good DJs,” Graves explained.
Graves also appreciates the removed nature of the Canadian city.
“You’re not around characters that you’ve already met several times in your life. You’re not like running into your ex, smacking face with another girl in Sputie’s,” she said.
As far as nighttime destinations, for good music, similarly aged clubbers and good vibes. Students reported their favorite clubs included Palazzo, Apartment 200, New City Gas and most commonly, Club Unity, which caters to an LGBTQ+ audience.
However, once students reach their destination for the night, they may face a few unfortunate realities.
Several students recalled encountering and experiencing harassment from creepy older men, specifically at Club Campus, as the club’s popularity among both college students and older locals created an uncomfortable dynamic Clubbing in Montreal is expensive, and the cost of the night only begins with a cover charge, which, first-year Kaia Rice recounts, one night was $25, including coat check.
“The drinks feel discounted because when the transaction hits my card, I know that there’s going to be a discount on it, because it’s Canadian,” said Graves, adding, “Alcohol takes a big hit to the wallet, about $200 to $300 [per weekend]”
The average price of a cocktail in downtown Montreal will set you back $18 CAD, equivalent to 12.55 USD. Considering the average American must consume 4-5 standard drinks over 2 hours to become intoxicated, the total amount spent on drinks to achieve drunkenness would be around 56.48 USD in one night.
In addition, the standard shot in Canada is equivalent to 1 oz, compared to America’s 1.5 oz. Assuming your cocktail contains a single shot, you would have to order 6.75 cocktails in Canada to achieve the American equivalent, bringing your total up to 84.71 USD.
Rather than purchasing drinks at the club and draining your bank account, pregaming seems like the obvious solution.
Unfortunately, President Donald Trump’s newly imposed tariffs have started a trade war with Canada.
“This order [tariff], it’s a wonderful order, it’s a beautiful order. This order is pulling American booze off the liquor market shelves,” said Premier Wab Kinew of the Canadian province of Manitoba, mockingly.
If you do manage to come across your favorite American-made alcohol, be prepared to shell out. Effective March 4, 2025, Canada has imposed 25% tariffs on U.S. liquor products.
First-year Bereket Secunda, who visited Montreal over spring break, recounts purchasing 1.75 liters of Absolut Vodka for 44 USD.
“After I bought the bottle, I looked up the price online and discovered it was around $30,” she said. “I felt like I had been scammed.”
Speaking of which, Canadians don’t like Americans very much right now. Secunda recalls witnessing an argument in a bar between an American college student and some Montreal natives who were loudly proclaiming their hatred for Americans and its fascist authoritarian government.
Although many interviewees reported forming friendships with Canadians, be prepared to discuss politics, even at the club. Vermont may be a blue bubble, but keep in mind that 77,284,118 Americans voted for Trump.
“They really hate Trump over there,” Graves recounted.
As students pack their bags to head home, loading up cars and catching early buses, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol awaits, ready to check IDs, search bags and ask probing questions.
Unfortunately for them, what happens in Montreal doesn’t always stay in Montreal — especially when it comes to liquor. Several sources reported returning to Vermont with a few extra souvenirs.
“I’ve smuggled alcohol across the border several times, and never been caught,” one said.
However, U.S. CBP doesn’t take this matter lightly, and those caught could not only face confiscation but also hefty fines and potential legal action. To avoid detection, one student reports pouring their alcohol into a water bottle.
“What, are they gonna X-ray vodka, and be able to tell that it’s vodka and not water?” they said.
From overpriced cocktails to tense political debates, pulsing clubs to border roulette, the journey North is as unpredictable as the nights themselves. Yet, the allure of Montreal’s nightlife makes it a journey that UVM students continue to make, smuggled liquor and all.
Illustrations by Alex Porier
SITES: point/counterpoint
Point: Burlington should have a safe injection site
BY OLIVIA LANGLAN
Between October 2022 and October 2023, UVM Medical Center saw a 900% increase in Group A Streptococcus blood infections, according to an April 30, 2024 VTDigger article.
Out of those infected, 70% self-reported using intravenous drugs and 62% were unhoused, according to an April 25, 2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention article.
These infections were accompanied by searing flesh wounds, a result of xylazine — an animal sedative known as “tranq” — mixed in with opioids. Xylazine usage can cause tissue trauma, resulting in severe necrotic wounds, according to a June 19, 2024 Journal of Hand Surgery article.
Additionally, though the national rate of deaths due to overdose is declining, overdose is still the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44, according to a Feb. 25 CDC article.
Considering these details, the establishment of a safe injection site in Burlington will not only protect the health and safety of IV drug users but also the community at large.
In 2023, a proposal for the installation of a SIS in Burlington was introduced with Bill H.72.
The bill was passed on June 17, 2024 after an initial veto by Governor Phil Scott on May 30, 2024, according to the Legislature of Vermont website.
H.72 outlines that the SIS, also called a
harm reduction center, would provide sterile equipment, drug-checking services and naloxone, an emergency treatment for opioid overdose.
In providing immediate and emergency services at the site, the emergency department would be relieved of some responsibility related to overdose response. A March 10, 2010 study conducted near a SIS in Sydney, Australia found a decrease in ambulance calls for suspected overdose by 67%.
Sterile conditions prevent the introduction of bacteria through injection, according to the National Institutes of Health.
In 2003, the first SIS in North America was opened in Vancouver, Canada. It is still operating today.
Individuals who utilized the SIS were 70% less likely to share needles, according to a Sept. 21, 2010 study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Sharing needles increases the risk of blood-borne infections, according to WebMD.
The number of incidents of public drug injection decreased from 4.3 to 2.4 per day, and the mean number of publicly discarded syringes found daily decreased from 11.5 to 5.4, according to a Sept. 28, 2004 study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Utilization of SISs also did not result in a reduced use of addiction treatment services, according to a June 8, 2006 study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Following the installation of the SIS, fatal overdose rates in the surrounding area decreased by 35%, according to an April 23, 2011 study published in The Lancet.
The area is also home to substance use treatment and mental health services through Vancouver Coastal Health.
In Vermont, there is a syringe service program run by Vermont CARES. This program offers community-based drug checking, used syringe collecting, infectious disease testing and education and counseling services.
The cooperation between the operation of the SIS and Vermont CARES is integral to the long-term success of the Burlington SIS. There are Vermont CARES locations all around Vermont.
Vermont CARES also has a volunteer program, a newsletter and accepts donations of personal care items.
As of January 2025, the City of Burlington is in the process of choosing a provider to run the safe injection site and working to establish a location.
The SIS has the capacity to save and change lives, protecting both drug users and the entire Burlington community. With this promising potential, it should have our utmost support.
Olivia Langlan is a junior nursing major, inspired to write this column by the medical benefits of a SIS.
Counterpoint: Why Burlington shouldn’t have a safe injection site
BY TAYLOR ABRAMS
In June 2024, Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced her plans to establish the state’s first-ever safe injection site here in Burlington, according to a June 18, 2024 Vermont Public article.
Major cities in the United States, such as New York City, have begun establishing these sites. The two sites reversed 114 overdoses with naloxone in just two months. They were also visited almost 5,000 times during that same time period, according to a December 2023 Cureus article.
However, this slow push to safe consumption violates federal law.
There is language defined under what is commonly referred to as the federal “crack house” statute, which makes it illegal to own or operate any place for the distribution and use of any controlled substance, according to the University of Chicago Law Review.
With current federal scrutiny on the spending of public programs, the stability of an SIS would be difficult to maintain.
The Vermont state legislature recently overturned Governor Phil Scott’s veto of legislation aiming to establish an SIS. If the current federal administration is not in agreement with the legislature’s actions, this risks losing state funding from the federal government.
The establishment of an SIS in a country that does not commonly fund them and ran by an administration that increasingly dictates the business of the states will be a very grave mistake by Vermont.
That may sound outlandish and unnec-
essarily complex, but allow me to break this down: the recommended budget for the upcoming fiscal year in Vermont is just a touch over $9 billion, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.
In 2022, almost 40% of the state’s budget came from federal transfers, according to a Feb. 13 USAFacts article.
This is significant.
President Donald Trump’s administration has not held back from cutting funding from any agency that it deems does not align with its “goals,” according to an April 4 New York Times article.
For example, at a Feb. 21 press conference, POTUS threatened to cut Maine’s state funding if the governor does not comply with his policy on banning transgender women from women’s bathrooms.
We have seen President Trump back his word on funding cuts and growing executive control. He has also already asked to shut down the SIS operating in New York City, according to a Feb. 17 ABC News report.
I am not saying we should support certain views or plans out of fear. However, despite this possible safe injection site potentially receiving other funding, it is clearly something that the current president disagrees with.
Establishing an SIS could potentially alter federal attitudes to Vermont’s state funding. Instead of engaging in the risk, Burlington could adopt other options for harm reduction that are already legal and federally legal.
Opioid agonist therapy is a harm reduction strategy that supplements illegal intravenous drugs with FDA-approved options such as methadone or buprenorphine.
This strategy not only reduces the risk of overdose death, but also reduces the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C, according to Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. This accomplishes the same outlined goals of the SIS.
While opioid agonist therapy is not a common option for harm reduction, it can be expanded in place of establishing an SIS.
Conducting a pilot program of an SIS, something that is already controversial and unpopular to the current administration, is extremely risky, even if it shows immediate results.
Vermont does not need to risk having federal funding cut as a result of this program. Many harm reduction strategies currently exist that are legal and unprovoking, such as safe disposal sites or opioid agonist therapy.
Vermont should not and cannot risk losing one-third of its state budget.
I will not refute the benefits of establishing an SIS. They are statistically proven to work. But at this moment in time, it would be politically and financially irresponsible of the city to build and staff one.
Taylor Abrams is a senior political science major, inspired to write this column by her internship with the state legislature, seeing how federal funding cuts are negatively affecting state programs in real time.
BY MAGGIE SWANBORN
1. Thou shalt not covet thy stash
When the burning bush calls, you answer. Your assignment can always wait — hopefully, the late penalty is minimal. But once your path is lit, you should always seek fellow friends, foes and maybe even strangers to join. Exercise good judgment, though.
2. The golden rule
This isn’t a buffet — take your fair share. If you are asking a friend to smoke, you’d better bring your grinder. Best to always work under the assumption that the event is BYOW: bring your own weed.
Vocab lesson: if you don’t have weed, the correct question to ask is, “Can you smoke me up?”
3. Honor the sacred law of stoner math
And on the fifth day, God made stoner math. Posted on the discussion board? You deserve a joint. Hungover? Pack a bowl. Finished a load of laundry? Spliff. After 4 p.m.? Another bowl. Spent more than an hour in the library? I hope you brought your pen.
4. Thou shalt not torch the bowl
Start at the edges and move inward, especially when kief is in play. Every time the kief burns without getting properly utilized, a deadhead gets a corporate job. You don’t want that on your hands.
5. Know thy limits, partake with wisdom
If you green out, we’ve got your back. That said, unlike Jesus, not everyone can cure the blind. It’s best to take things slow to avoid finding yourself in need of a resurrection.
6. If thou art plagued, stay away
It’s none of my business what you do with your lungs, but leave me out of it. If you absolutely cannot sit out because of your commitment to the First Commandment, first of all, thank you, and second of all, might I suggest you roll your own. Roommates are exempt from this rule, seeing as you already live in each other’s filth, you never stood a chance.
7. He who rolls shall spark
You worked hard. You deserve a reward. Labor is compensated fairly in this commu
nity, through weed, obviously. Also, please, for the love of God, sophomores and above, it’s time we graduate from the pipes; the holy spliff is calling.
8. Thou shalt not mention:
Your questionable relationship with the substance we are consuming, anything academic, employment, the future — especially if there are seniors present — crime, murder, existential dread or any type of paranoia fuel. Good rule of thumb: it’s off the table if you can picture a Fox News host talking about it.
9. Blessed be the bringer of the snacks
Don’t you hate it when there are only five loaves and two fish at the function? The munchies are not a myth, so unless you can turn water into wine, bring snacks. You will make a lot of very high people very happy.
10. The true sesh is beyond law, governed only by harmony and herb
The sesh is about intimacy; eventually, you will find your disciples and the rules will fade, leaving just you and the homies free to enjoy the devil’s lettuce all day.
Illustrations by Katherine Hashem
BY MACKENZIE BENDER
As the week comes to an end, friend groups all around campus start planning their weekend full of morally ambiguous activities. The pregames start to fill with loud music and drunk gossip as people’s second personalities come out. Ever wonder which one you have? Take this quiz and find out!
1. By the time the pregame is over, how many drinks deep are you?
a. 3-4 mixed drinks.
b. 4-5 straight shots.
c. 2-3 mixed drinks.
d. About half a drink and a shot or 2.
2. How much do those drinks affect you?
a. A perfect level, not super close to blacking out.
b. So drunk that the smell of Sputies doesn’t even phase me anymore.
c. I am a little dizzy but ready to dance!
d. I wish I was drunker.
3. Someone shouts, “Who wants a shot?” How do you react?
a. Pour me one!
b. Baddie baddie shot o’clock!
c. I will take half of one.
d. I am not really feeling it.
4. Are you ordering an overpriced drink at Sputies?
a. I will try to convince someone to buy it for me.
b. Ordering another shot and a few more drinks after that.
c. I am getting a trash can!
d. No, I don’t want to spend $8 on a drink.
5. You’re playing eye tag in a crowd of people. What do you do?
a. I make my way over to this person and start talking.
b. Continue glancing over until they come over to me.
6. What is your go-to karaoke song at RJ’s?
a. Something fun and upbeat.
b. Something dramatic and emotional.
c. Something I barely know the words to.
d. I don’t do karaoke.
7. How are you dancing to the loud, poorly DJ-ed music?
a. Singing and dancing with a stranger.
b. So much dancing. I want to be the center of attention!
c. Following the flow of the crowd; I can’t lose stability.
d. Head nodding and some lip-syncing.
8. Your group is planning on leaving. What is your next plan of action?
a. Grab some pizza at Mr. Mike’s with the person I have been talking to.
b. Beg your friends to stay out, maybe check if Ales is any better.
c. I doubt they are looking at me, probably just someone near me.
d. I look away and don’t engage.
c. Wander out of the bar and accidentally lose your friends.
d. Call the Uber and make sure the whole group is together.
Mostly A:
The Flirty Drunk
9. You left the bar, and the night is slowing down. What are you doing before heading to bed?
a. Having some “fun” with someone.
b. Giving my ex a call while my friends beg me not to.
c. Showing off gymnastics tricks in the common room.
d. Washing my face and getting into my PJs.
10. How are you waking up the next morning?
a. Decently hung over, could use some water.
b. I am still drunk and it’s 12pm.
c. Pretty hung over with lots of random bruises everywhere.
d. Tired but not too bad.
You always tend to talk to someone new, your charisma shines through with alcohol. Your Snapchat roster is full of people you met only once or twice. You spend less time with your friends and more time making out with some hottie in the middle of a crowd. You are getting action that some people wish they could!
Mostly B:
The Messy Drunk
As soon as a drop of tequila hits your system, emotions come rushing to the surface. While you will have fun for a while, the second you see your ex-situationship’s friend, you will collapse into your friend’s arms, sobbing about how they ghosted you months ago. Maybe there are some things you should work out before that next bar visit.
Mostly C:
The Clumsy Drunk
You find yourself stumbling all over the place, waking up with bruises you have no memory of getting. Walking up stairs is like climbing Mount Everest, a never-ending battle between man and nature. Advil is definitely in your future the next morning.
Mostly D:
The Mother Hen Drunk
While you want to have fun, you know your friends and their behaviors, and tend to be a drink or two behind them. There’s nothing wrong with making sure everyone is okay, but sometimes it’s okay to let loose a little bit. Not everyone needs 24/7 motherly watching!
Illustrations by Katherine Hashem
T H E LS D M A G I C O F
BY ASHLEY GOLDEN
Jimmy Hendrix, Carrie Fisher, Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan, Alanis Morissette, Steve Jobs, Lady Gaga, Robert Mapplethorpe, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Kacey Musgraves, Bill Gates, Richard Fineman, Lou Reed, Patti Smith and of course, The Beatles.
Every single one of these people, some of the most talented and influential to ever live, have used lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or acid, to enhance their creativity and help them on a journey of self-discovery.
LSD served as artistic inspiration and was ultimately the driving force behind The Beatles’ famous album “Revolver,” according to an Aug. 25, 2016 Rolling Stone article. LSD has also long been hypothesised to be the inspiration for their “Yellow Submarine” project.
Others, like Kacey Musgraves, found spiritual healing in the substance, according to a Feb. 11, 2021 Rolling Stone article.
LSD was first synthesized in 1938 by
German chemist Albert Hoffman, according to a Sept. 9, 2014 Atlantic article.
Hofmann realized LSD’s incredible physiological and hallucinogenic properties upon accidentally taking 250 micrograms, 2.5 times the average dose, according to an April 19, 2020 Rolling Stone article.
LSD operates simply: once ingested, the active chemical reaches the brain and binds to serotonin receptors, acting as a cap to the receptors.
This capping leaves serotonin receptors permanently firing, sending the signal over and over until the chemicals are absorbed. It is the biological definition of unfettered euphoria.
The entire process, “the trip,” can last anywhere from 8 to 16 hours on average, according to a Nov. 6, 2002 Neuropsychopharmacology article.
LSD was originally examined as a potential cure for mental illnesses and as a creativity enhancer by the psychiatric commu-
nity.
In 1960, Sidney Cohen published a study determining that LSD was safe to take in responsible doses, according to a March 1997 article in the History of Science Society Publication.
The effects and intensity of LSD vary depending on dosage. Beyond the visual, audible and tactile hallucinations the drug is famous for, it also can cause synesthesia — hearing colors as sounds or vice versa — time distortion and a euphoric mood that lasts for hours, according to Mount Sinai.
Not all trips are created equal.
While a good trip can be the best day of your life, a bad trip where, say, you think you’re seeing monsters and time feels like it’s at a standstill, is terrifying.
At the same time, LSD isn’t killing nearly 500 people in the U.S. every day like alcohol does, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Yet, in 3 minutes, I can walk to three different places that legal-
ly sell alcohol.
LSD is a Schedule I drug, meaning the government considers it to be highly addictive and possessing no medicinal properties, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
As a Schedule I drug, the DEA considers LSD more dangerous and addictive than cocaine, fentanyl or meth, which are all Schedule II drugs.
This is despite the fact the U.S. Justice Department has stated plainly that LSD is non-addictive, while declaring cocaine and meth as highly addictive substances.
The government needs to get its story straight.
Yes, LSD can be dangerous, but for me, it’s a miracle drug. A miracle drug that, at one point, helped save my life.
This is not the cliché story of some frat guy taking mushrooms and discovering the existence of empathy. Rather, LSD gave me hope.
From April 2019 to April 2020, I took acid 15 times, with dosages varying from the standard 100 micrograms to 700.
At my 16th birthday party, I traveled across our solar system, touched the rings of Saturn and walked on the sun in 45 minutes. Another time, a giant floating version of Halsey’s head chased me around my
apartment.
Some of my life’s most purely beautiful, joyful moments have been on LSD.
Four months before I came out as transgender — the decision that saved my life — I got to see my two futures after taking five tabs.
Staring into the mirrors both in front and behind me, I saw my possible paths. I can’t explain why I knew they were my future — I just knew.
In front of me was a man with a beard, a terrifying beard. He was timid and unhappy. It looked like, at any moment, he’d break into tiny pieces of glass.
Behind me was a woman, she had curves, breasts and her hair reached the floor in beautiful waves. She seemed to flicker like stars. She had a real smile, one I thought I would never see on my face. She was me.
Or, rather, everything I desired to be.
So transfixed by her, so overcome with my need to be her, I ran face-first into the mirror.
I was a very angry child, abused and afraid of the world and everyone in it. LSD opened my eyes to beauty I had been too blinded, afraid and broken to see.
After I started taking the drug, I painted all four walls and the ceiling of my bedroom with psychedelic murals.
The insight I gained into myself, the insight into who truly I was, far surpassing just my gender, brought me from being an outwardly furious and explosive human, to being angry at myself, to desperately wanting to change.
Some of the darkest times in my life occurred from April 2019 to April 2020. LSD not only gave me joyful reprieves but also reminded me that the world is not just an abusive cesspool. Rather, it is a place that can hold unlimited beauty and change.
LSD is a Schedule I drug. LSD is one of the most powerful drugs in the world. I understand that it scares people. But it helped me. It helped me and it can help others.
Yet, as things currently stand, LSD is criminalized, researchers’ ability to study the drug is beyond hindered and rather than being seen as a drug with untold potential, it’s viewed as some dangerous, hedonistic, hippie dippy substance that’ll rot your mind.
The criminalization of LSD is the definition of a tragedy. LSD, when used safely and responsibly, can completely change people’s lives and their views of themselves.
And god, sometimes it can just be beautiful.
Illustrations by Katherine Hashem
CREATINE AND CAFFEINE: POWDER CULTURE AT UVM
BY MORGAN MILMAN
The Gucciardi Fitness Center is home to some of UVM’s biggest users. Their drugs of choice: creatine and caffeine.
Many gym-goers partake in the use of creatine, an amino acid compound used as a workout supplement, according to the Mayo Clinic. The powder can increase muscle mass and improve athletic performance; however, there’s a thin line between useful and useless.
“I use creatine just because I’ve been doing it for years and it helps with muscle strength and growth,” said senior Brandon Wolf.
Students report experimenting with supplements like creatine as they began going to the gym more often. Among the motivators of supplement use is attaining their desired physique.
“I started taking creatine and noticed an increase in recovery, first off. And muscle growth and definition. I highly recommend [it]. I was seventeen,” said first-year Harry Coutu.
Creatine is not recommended for people under the age of 18, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
An important caveat to using creatine is your intake of water. It’s recommended that users drink at least 12-16 cups per day, according to Certified Sports Nutritionist Elliot Reimers of Transparent Labs.
The average American adult drinks around 5.5 cups per day, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, meaning creatine requires over two times the water intake that the average American adult consumes.
“You have to be drinking so much water. You have to be going really consistently, like multiple hours a day, so it’s kind of a waste and kind of a marketing scam. It’s misleading,” said first-year Connor Knohl.
Knohl’s father is a nephrologist, or kidney doctor, who advised him against using the supplement.
“When I was in the gym a lot I asked if I could get creatine. He said no.”
Some students have had to take a step back from creatine consumption for other health concerns.
“I made a lot of progress really quickly, and then I went to the doctor, and they told me my levels were too high and I had
to stop taking it,” said first-year Charlie Simons. “So I stopped taking it.”
Creatine can put stress on your kidneys if your dosage is regularly above the recommended 3-5 grams, according to Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing. The supplement is also not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Association, meaning users could be misled about what they are truly consuming.
Others see creatine as a temporary improvement. Creatine causes the muscles to hold more water, making them appear larger without actually growing the muscle itself.
“I think it’s a placebo effect. I think you should work out to get stronger, not make your muscles look better,” said first-year Sutter Smith.
Consulting a doctor is also important before beginning any supplement.
“I think you have to want to work out,” Simons said. “I think creatine should only be used if you’re going to be consistent anyway, not a reason to be consistent. I want to start taking it again, so I’ll ask my doctor.”
Photo by Lillian Miner
In addition to campus-wide consumption of caffeine like Yerba Mate and coffee, many students rely on caffeine to get energized for their workouts.
“I take a lot of caffeine, like 400 mg a day in general,” Wolf said. “One in the morning and one for working out. That usually gets me hype for the gym because I’m cutting right now and I’m low on energy, so caffeine helps.”
Wolf isn’t alone in his excessive caffeine use.
“I also take a lot of caffeine before every workout,” said sophomore Alex Doudkin. “Those pre-workouts have those other additives, like L-citrulline, which helps blood flow.”
Pre-workout is also sold in powder form, unregulated by the FDA. Mixed with a liquid or dry scooped, pre-workout is also highly caffeinated.
One scoop of the average pre-workout contains around 150-300mg of caffeine, according to Outwork Nutrition — the equiva-
lent of almost three cups of coffee. This can have lasting effects on a person’s tolerance.
Caffeine addiction is real. When you drink caffeine, chemical changes occur in the brain, demanding even more caffeine to feel the same energy boost with regular use. This effect is similar to other addictive drugs, according to AddictionCenter.com.
“I don’t use pre-workout anymore because I would stay up too late and never go to sleep,” said Coutu. “It was raising my tolerance to the point where I was taking 900 mg just to go to the gym. I use it very sparingly now.”
The FDA estimates “toxic effects” of caffeine at around 1,200 mg of caffeine consumption in a short period of time, including seizures and heart palpitations.
Whether on principle or from past experience, students are forgoing caffeine for various reasons.
“I don’t take caffeine for working out,” said sophomore Reid Hersey. “If I’m tired, that’s just my body telling me I’m tired. I
don’t want pre-workout to keep my body going unnaturally.”
Caffeine can act as a band-aid on tiredness and make it hard to get enough rest. The average college student gets 6-7 hours of sleep per night, according to the CDC, compared to the recommended 7-9.
“When I take a lot of caffeine, I get jittery and feel stressed,” Knohl said. “If I don’t eat anything with it, I feel sick.”
Both creatine and caffeine use run rampant in Gucciardi, but some students don’t use anything to fuel their fitness.
If you’re thinking about starting creatine or drinking more caffeine, please talk to your doctor. Do some digging and find out what works best for you and your body.
The UVM Center for Health and Wellbeing offers appointments with integrative wellness coaching and nutrition services. Students can call, email, go online or visit their offices in the Waterman building or Student Health Services for a consultation.
by
Illustrations
Alex Porier
