A new student organization will offer support to Metro State students recovering from drug or alcohol abuse. Metro Students for Recovery (MSR) will have their first meeting on Sept. 24 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Library room 301 on the St. Paul campus.

Ben Johnson, president and founder of MSR, said he saw the need for their student organization at Metro State.

“Like many other students, my life has been impacted by addiction and it just so happened that I was trying to obtain an education while struggling with addiction and trying to focus on recovery,” he said. “While I was going to school there was no sober support on campus and the stigma of substance abuse and recovery was extremely negative and deterring me from finding others who were in the same position as me to help one another.”

MSR will be a distinct group from the Alcohol and Drug Counseling Student Association (ADCSA), said Johnson. While the ADCSA is for the development of future counselors, MSR will be a peer support group and advocate for students who are going through recovery while obtaining an education. It is open to students in all majors.

“Addiction is extremely prevalent within college campuses. I figured why should students be deprived the opportunity of getting such support on campus?” Johnson said.

MSR received Student Senate approval as a registered student organization on March 16. The group is seeking new members and officers to join them to plan recreational activities, guest speaker events and networking days.

Students, staff and faculty who are interested in learning more about MSR can contact Ben Johnson at ben.c.johnson1995@gmail.com or Professor Julie Maxson at julie.maxson@metrostate.edu.