Centre County officials have been concerned about substance use in the region, and it's not limited to the university's main worry: alcohol.

Scott Merrill, Centre County's Drug Task Force coordinator, said he has seen the caseload of heroin cases go from 1 to 2 percent, to 10 to 20 percent in the area.

Usually, facts do not lie. With this much of an increase in the heroin caseloads, it's time for the university to recognize that it has an impact on the region other than dangerous drinking.

Highway development, a central location, and a population willing to experiment with drugs make Penn State and the surrounding areas a prime target for drug dealers.

The problems associated with heroin and those associated with alcohol abuse are two distinct problems in the Centre Region. Penn State officials can pick and choose what problem to focus on, and specifically, the State College drinking culture is in their crosshairs, which it should be.

We cannot undermine the social ills cause by alcohol abuse at Penn State. However, the university needs to recognize the growing drug problem. The drug problem needs to enter the greater public debate in this community. Thankfully, our public officials have brought this to our attention, and we need to listen to them. These officials know what they are talking about, and can anticipate if drugs will be a problem in the future.

If the university continues to ignore the effect it has on the surrounding community, a sufficient drug problem may develop. The area gets a significant amount of alcohol enforcement funding, because of the university. Alcohol is the visible problem in the area.

Students' parents may be more willing to send their students to a university that battles the problems associated with heavy alcohol abuse on college campuses. When the university and local community discuss the ills of drinking, it's comforting to them.

But that will only battle one of the drug-related problems in the State College area.

We need the university to shed light on the growing drug problem in Centre County so that more people recognize this situation before it becomes any sort of epidemic.

The university needs to ask for state funding, or give money, to the Centre County Drug Task Force.

We need to stand up for the Penn State community, because the talking heads at the university are acting like the only problem in this area is dangerous drinking, and that's only half of it.