Jamia Collins/ Courtbouillon
Alanah Odoms-Hebert and Dr. Corey Hebert address freshmen on Jan. 25.

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 2, 2018) – Students must be mindful of the physical and legal consequences of drug and alcohol use: That was the advice of a doctor-attorney couple to freshmen during Convocation on Jan. 25 in Georges Auditorium.

Dr. Corey Hebert, television health correspondent for WDSU-TV and director of DU’s Student Health and Wellness Center, joined his wife, lawyer Alanah Odoms-Hebert, to speak at one of several sessions held for Sex Week.

Both said students to know their rights, know the law and never put themselves in a situation where they lose their ability to give consent to sex.

Hebert reminded students that use of drugs and alcohol loosen inhibitions and can lead to a person being taken advantage of sexually. He mentioned local cases where the victim was violated physically “but she can’t remember where” because of impairment.

He said students who have been attached must tell the school and police so “hopefully, the law will work the way it’s supposed to.”

Hebert also advised both parties should be sober if they’re going to be intimate: “When you’re about to have any type of sexual contact, please be sober,”

Odoms-Hebert cautioned students that while other states have legalized marijuana, Louisiana has not, so a person can be prosecuted for having it or being near it.

“You’re messing up your life for recreation,” she warned because a felony will follow you and affect your chances of getting into graduate school and of getting a good job.

She gave an example of a person who was prosecuted because he was in the car with a person who had marijuana.

Odoms-Hebert said,” You’re in a car with somebody, and they have drugs, but you don’t know about it. You don’t have to know if they have drugs on them, and if you have access to them, you have constructive possession of it.”