OPEN has compiled resources for students and families looking for support and information related to alcohol and other drug use.
Please contact OPEN at open@northeastern.edu or request a confidential Alcohol and Other Drug check-in meeting (for students) if you are looking for additional resources or would like support in determining and connecting with resources that feel most helpful for you.
Please note that OPEN does not testify to, sponsor, or endorse any information provided on any externally linked page. OPEN provides this link for your information and for the benefit of the Northeastern community.
Resources for Students
Support Groups and Services
Some individuals looking for support around their alcohol/other drug use, use moderation, and/or recovery find support groups a helpful resource in working towards their goals. Support groups and services across the Global University System are provided below.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is a network of peer-led global support groups focused on achieving sobriety through a “12-step” model. Select your campus below to learn more about AA groups in your area. The listing pages allow users to filter by day, time, and group characteristics (for example, in-person, virtual, young people, LGBTQ, men, women, non-binary, etc.).
Al-Anon/Alateen
Al-Anon offers support and understanding to the families and friends of people with a drinking problem, whether they’re still drinking or not. Alateen is part of Al-Anon and can be attended by 13 to 18-year-olds who are affected by another person’s drinking.
Marijuana Anonymous
Marijuana Anonymous is a free peer-support program focused on problems with marijuana or cannabis addiction. MA utilizes the “12-step” recovery model.
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous is a peer-support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle. Narcotics Anonymous does not focus on any particular drug and its approach makes no distinction between drugs including alcohol.
LifeRing Secular Recovery
LifeRing is an abstinence-based, peer-support organization dedicated to providing a meeting space for people who want to live free of alcohol and illicit or non-medically indicated drugs.
SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery offers mutual support meetings that are “open to anyone seeking science-based, self-empowered addiction recovery”. This group is abstinence-oriented.
Moderation Management – US only
Moderation Management provides a non-judgmental, compassionate peer-support community for anyone who wants to change their relationship with alcohol. This program does not require abstinence and takes a harm reduction approach by setting goals around use.
*This program is only available in the US*
American Addiction Centers – US only
American Addiction Centers provides information on alternatives to AA, support groups near you, and treatment programs in your area.
*This resource is only applicable to the US*
We Are With You – UK only
We Are With You is a UK-wide treatment agency that helps individuals, families and communities manage the effects of drug and alcohol misuse.
*This program is only available in the UK*
Resources for Alcohol/Other Drug Information and Treatment Options
Addiction Center – US only
Provides addiction information and treatment center reviews.
*This resource is only available in the US*
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation and to improve the lives of individuals living with mental and substance use disorders, and their families.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
The mission of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is to generate and disseminate fundamental knowledge about the adverse effects of alcohol on health and well-being, and apply that knowledge to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorder, across the lifespan.
Nicotine Cessation Support
OPEN has compiled a list of resources accessible to individuals looking for additional support with cessation from vaping, cigarettes, and/or use of other tobacco products.
Northeastern’s Ready to Quit Program – Boston only
University Health and Counseling Services Ready to Quit Program
RTQ offers individualized smoking cessation support services and nicotine replacement products for Northeastern students. Learn more through the Ready to Quit FAQ page and take the next step by completing the Ready to Quit assessment form.
*This resource is only to students on the Boston campus*
This is Quitting – US only
Text-based services may be helpful to guide users through the quitting process and they also offer services for parents and loved ones of young adults who use e-cigarettes, vapes, and other nicotine products. For students in the US, text DITCHVAPE to 88709 to access the Truth Initiative’s This is Quitting text-based service.
Students on the Boston campus can text VapeFreeMass to 88709 to access a local option.
*This resource is only available in the US*
Build Your Quit Plan
Smokefree.gov offers a tool to build an individualized quit plan for both cigarettes and vapes.
National Institutes of Health How to Quit Vaping Guide
A detailed how-to guide that walks users through every step of the quitting process, from thinking through why you want to quit to getting you prepared for what challenges to expect.
US Helpline
US state-specific and national resources can be accessed by calling 1.800.QUIT.NOW or by visiting smokefree.gov.
British Columbia Helpline
British Columbia-specific resources can be accessed by calling 1.877.455.2233 or by visiting https://quitnow.ca/.
Ontario Helpline
Ontario-specific resources can be accessed by calling 811, texting iQuit to 123456, or by visiting smokershelpline.ca.
UK Helpline
UK-specific resources can be accessed by calling 0300 123 1044 or by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/.
Resources for Families
Alcohol
We are proud to offer the only evidence-based Parent Handbook for Talking with College Students About Alcohol from the Prevention Research Center at the Pennsylvania State University. The Handbook offers tips and sample language for having a dialogue with your student. The guide also includes information and education on alcohol.
Families can find more educational information on alcohol and other drugs by going to our education page.
OPEN staff can provide confidential assessments and personalized feedback for students who are looking to get more information on their alcohol or drug use. We can help connect them to recommended resources and explain referral options. Families and students can also check out the resource list above or call us at 617.373.4459 for more information.
Cannabis
Though cannabis use and possession are legalized in Massachusetts, it is a violation of the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct and is prohibited on the Boston campus.
The research on cannabis’s impact is less well established than the research around alcohol’s impact. However, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute out of the University of Washington offers science-based information and resources for parents and families.
Seattle Children’s Hospital also has developed A Parent’s Guide to Preventing Underage Marijuana Use.
You can find more educational information on cannabis by going to our alcohol and other drug education page and can find more information specific to Massachusetts state policy here.