On March 18, John Gibson, a UC Berkeley student and resident of Cloyne Court co-op overdosed on a “cocktail” of drugs and suffered irreparable brain damage.

This incident is certainly saddening, but we find the reaction of co-op officials to be equally troubling. It was largely kept quiet, and exact details of what happened are still unclear.

Many students on campus, including those living the the co-op system in houses blocks away, heard nothing of the incident before the San Francisco Chronicle reported on it just a week ago.

While there will always be students who abuse drugs – and do so in student living situations such as the co-ops, the dorms and the Greek system – the leaders and inhabitants of these residences have a responsibility to try to avoid tragedies such as this one.

It is also imperative that when such tragedies do occur that the involved parties are transparent in informing other members of the campus community and making sure that these incidents are not repeated.

For example, the “community action workshop” to recognize the signs of drug overdose held for Cloyne Court residents after the incident should have been mandatory rather than optional.

In the absence of credible information about this and other events, the rumors that may be started are often worse than the truth.

There should be improved health education in the co-ops and the campus at large to educate students as to how to prevent and respond to drug and alcohol abuse.

Some have made the argument that because of its drug culture, Cloyne Court should be shut down. We do not feel this is a viable solution.

The co-op system provides affordable housing for more than a thousand students, and the students within it who use drugs heavily will find ways to do so no matter what their living situation.

Instead, students should take more social responsibility for themselves and their fellow students, seeking medical assistance when necessary.

Incidents such as Gibson’s overdose should be learned from rather than swept under the rug.