Substance Use and Educational Attainment (AUDIO) Washington University School of Medicine Your browser does not support the audio element. Caption Using alcohol, nicotine or illegal drugs at a young age decreases the likelihood that a person will finish college. Studying twins, Washington University researchers have found that those who began drinking or using drugs at a very young age, and those who developed drug or alcohol dependence, also tended to be less likely to stay in school long enough to earn a degree. Credit Washington University BioMed Radio Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.