UBC study: anti-homophobia policies reduce binge drinking in both gay and straight students

A new UBC study suggests anti-homophobia policies and gay-straight alliances have a positive effect on alcohol use and can reduce binge drinking in both gay and straight students.

The gay-straight alliances or GSAs are student-led clubs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their straight allies that promote inclusivity.

The study finds in schools where gay-straight alliances started three or more years ago, lesbian and bisexual girls were 55 per cent less likely to drink alcohol and 52 per cent less likely to binge drink last Saturday.

Meanwhile, heterosexual boys and girls were 19 per cent less likely to binge drink last Saturday.

Heterosexual boys had 20 per cent lower odds of problems from alcohol or drug use.

No difference was observed for gay/bisexual boys. There was also no effect for heavy marijuana use.

In schools with anti-homophobia policies enacted three or more years ago, heterosexual boys were 45 per cent less likely to report binge drinking six or more days in the past month.

Heterosexual girls were 62 per cent less likely to binge drink 6 or more days in the past month, 32 per cent less likely to binge drink last Saturday, and 28 per cent less likely to report problems from alcohol or drug use.

“These strategies appear to be helpful not only for LGBTQ students, but all students,” says study author Elizabeth Saewyc.

Saewyc says interventions that can make schools safer for LGBTQ youth may actually reduce harassment for straight students as well.

She suggests schools should consider including GSAs and anti-homophobia policies as part of their alcohol and drug abuse prevention strategies.

The study was conducted among students in grades 8 through 12, which involved 21,708 students in 280 schools in 50 districts across the province.