The Winston-Salem Police Department has charged four university students in connection with a drug bust Jan. 31 that included arrests for trafficking in cocaine and opium.

A male sophomore was charged with trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possession of paraphernalia, maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of violating the Controlled Substances Act and possession of marijuana.

A female and a senior male were both charged with possession of marijuana, a male sophomore was charged with trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine and trafficking opium.

Another male, not a university student, was also charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.

According to WSPD Lt. B.D. Roundtree, "most of what was seized" was taken from a Northcliffe apartment Jan. 31. He said this was a "larger than average" seizure.

Though Roundtree said the Drug Enforcement Administration and the WSPD "routinely" work together, the city worked alone on this case.

If found responsible under the university judicial system, university students face a presumptive sanction, as outlined in the student handbook, of a one semester suspension for marijuana possession or an entire academic year for cocaine, parental notification, and two random drug screenings at the student's expense.

Students who are caught manufacturing or selling drugs face a presumptive sanction of expulsion.

The Controlled Substances Act consolidates a number of laws regulating the manufacture and distribution of narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, anabolic steroids and chemicals used in the illicit production of controlled substances.

The CSA places all substances that are regulated under existing federal law into one of five schedules.

This placement is based upon the substance's medicinal value, harmfulness, and potential for abuse or addiction.

According to the DEA Web site, Schedule I drugs are the most harmful, have the greatest propensity for abuse and have no recognized medical use.

Schedule V is the classification used for the least dangerous drugs.

Cocaine and opium are schedule II drugs and marijuana is schedule I.

In 2001, 164.5 kilograms of cocaine and 3,826.8 kilograms of marijuana were seized in North Carolina, the site reported.

Federal penalties for trafficking of 500 to 4,999 grams of cocaine on a first offense could include not less than 5 years imprisonment and a fine of not more than million.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, drug arrests at colleges nationwide increased 10.2 percent in 2000, an increase that some college officials attributed to "a more casual attitude among students toward drugs, particularly marijuana."

A report by Harvard University's School of Public Health said that nationally, college student's marijuana use rose 22 percent from 1993 to 1999.

At this university, 35 percent of the student population reports using illegal drugs in their lifetime, according to health educator Natascha Romeo.

While the number of students who reported using marijuana three or more times a week fell to 5 percent, a significant amount of students -- 12 percent to 15 percent -- are considered regular users (meaning they have used within the past 30 days).