TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

RICE ISD

SECONDARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OVERVIEW

In the Spring of 1994, the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, in conjunction with
the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University, administered a survey to
students in grades 7 through 8 in the Rice Independent School District (RISD). A total of 98
students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and
drugs. Of that number, 5 surveys were excluded from analysis because students did not indicate
their grade or age, or because they were identified as exaggerators (i.e., claimed to have used a
non-existent drug or reported overly excessive drug use). The final number of surveys included
in the overall district analysis was 93.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Forty-six percent of Rice ISD students reported using tobacco at least once during their
lifetimes, and 21 percent said they had used tobacco during the past month.

•Five percent of Rice ISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while 2
percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Forty-seven percent of Rice ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, and 23 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•Seven percent of Rice ISD students reported attending at least one class during the past
year while "drunk."

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 18 percent of Rice ISD students, while
past-month inhalant use was reported by 4 percent.

•Eleven percent of Rice ISD students reported using marijuana at least once during their
lifetimes, and 8 percent said they had used marijuana during the past month.

•Rice ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or alcohol
problem (76 percent) and least likely to consult another adult in school, such as a
teacher or a nurse (38 percent).

1 The percentages referred to in the executive summary were taken from the tables found in "Part I: District
Survey Results." Due to the differences in rounding procedures, there may be slight discrepancies between the
percentages referred to in the tables and those reflected in the executive summary.

1
Tobacco

Between 1992 and 1994, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless
products) among students statewide stayed much the same. 2 Overall, the general use of tobacco
products among Rice ISD 7th and 8th grade students is similar to that reported by their 7th and
8th grade counterparts statewide.

Forty-six percent of Rice students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes (46 percent statewide).3 Twenty-one percent of Rice ISD students said they had used
a tobacco product during the past month (20 percent statewide).

Forty-six percent of Rice students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes (44 percent statewide), and 18 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past
month (18 percent statewide). Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 5 percent of
district students (4 percent statewide), while 18 percent said most or all of their close friends
smoke cigarettes.4

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 22 percent of RISD students, a rate
somewhat higher than that reported by their peers statewide (13 percent). Six percent of district
students said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month (4 percent
statewide). Using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 2 percent of
district students (1 percent statewide), and 5 percent said most or all of their close friends use
smokeless tobacco.

Alcohol

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among students statewide and in the Rice ISD.
Alcohol use among secondary students in 1994 was similar to that reported in 1992. Overall,
Rice ISD 7th and 8th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates somewhat lower than those
reported by their 7th and 8th grade peers statewide.

Forty-seven percent of Rice students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 63 percent of 7th and 8th grade students statewide. Twenty-three
percent of Rice ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by their peers statewide (29 percent).

2 Statewide data is collected every other year. The statewide data used for comparison purposes in the district
report and executive summary is taken from the results of the survey administered in 1994.

3 Due to the small number of students surveyed in this district, no between-grade comparisons can be made.

4 Because a non-standard grade combination was surveyed in this district, some statewide data are
unavailable for comparisons throughout this summary.

2
The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Rice students are wine coolers (48 percent/47
percent statewide) and beer (39 percent/47 percent statewide). Twenty-eight percent of RISD
students said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (26 percent statewide), and 23 percent
said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (27 percent statewide).

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Twenty-seven percent of Rice ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during the past year (29 percent statewide), while 16 percent said
they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink (14 percent
statewide). Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 27 percent of RISD
students (30 percent statewide), while 19 percent said they usually drink five or more wine
coolers at a time on average when they drink (15 percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use at school, its use among friends,
and its use at parties. Fifty-five percent of Rice ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or
liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by
their peers statewide (64 percent). Seven percent of Rice students reported attending at least
one class during the past school year while "drunk" (9 percent statewide).
Seventeen percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, a
rate somewhat lower than that reported by their counterparts statewide (24 percent). Twenty-
three percent of district students responded "from friends" when asked where they obtained
alcohol most of the time or always. "Difficulties of any kind" with friends because of one's own
drinking was reported by 9 percent of RISD students (7 percent statewide).

Ten percent of Rice students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they attended in
the past school year, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by their peers statewide (19
percent). Twenty-three percent of district students responded "at parties" when asked where
they obtain alcohol most of the time or always, while 4 percent of RISD students said they get
alcohol "from the store" most of the time or always.

Students were asked how many days during the school year they were absent from class due to
an illness or for some other reason, and how many days they had been in trouble because of
conduct or attitude problems. Fewer RISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (14 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (58 percent). Sixty-seven percent of the
district students who had experienced difficulties with school officials on four or more days
reported using alcohol during the past 30 days. By contrast, only 11 percent of district students
who had not experienced difficulties with school officials because of conduct problems had
used alcohol within the past 30 days.

Parental attitudes can be a major factor in whether or not a student uses alcohol or drugs. When
asked how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer, 82 percent of Rice students said
their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (77 percent statewide). Nine percent of district
students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer (13

3
percent statewide), and 4 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (7 percent
statewide).

Inhalants5

In general, inhalants are common, licit substances (paints, thinners, correction fluid, glue, etc.)
which, when sniffed, huffed, or inhaled, produce an intoxicating effect. Between 1992 and
1994, use of inhalants among students statewide decreased. Overall, Rice ISD 7th and 8th
grade students are using inhalants at rates somewhat similar to those reported by their 7th and
8th grade counterparts statewide.

Eighteen percent of Rice students reported using inhalants at least once during their lifetimes
(22 percent statewide). Four percent of Rice ISD students said they had used inhalants during
the past month (7 percent statewide).

Two percent of RISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (4 percent
statewide), and 2 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school year
while "high" on inhalants (6 percent statewide). Twelve percent of RISD students said they had
used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes (14 percent
statewide).

The inhalant substance most frequently used by Rice students was correction fluid/Liquid Paper
(10 percent/12 percent statewide). Eight percent of district students said they had inhaled
liquid/spray paint (8 percent statewide), 7 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other
inhalants" category (10 percent statewide), 7 percent said they had inhaled glue (7 percent
statewide), 5 percent reported inhaling gasoline (7 percent statewide), 5 percent said they had
inhaled paint thinner (7 percent statewide), and 3 percent reported inhaling substances in the
"other sprays" category (5 percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes.

Fewer Rice ISD students who had not been absent since the Fall reported having used inhalants
during the past month (3 percent) than did district students who said they had missed four or
more days of school (16 percent). None of the district students who had not been in trouble
with school officials reported using inhalants within the past 30 days. By contrast, 24 percent
of district students who had been in trouble with school officials on four or more days reported
using inhalants during the past 30 days.

Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are defined as controlled substances and include marijuana, cocaine (powdered
form and crack), uppers (stimulants), downers (narcotics), hallucinogens, and ecstasy. Between
5 Lifetime and current inhalant use figures have been adjusted to reflect reported use of both specific inhalants
and inhalant use generally. Some students responded positive to specific use without responding positive to
generic use. Some students responded positive to generic use but not specific inhalants.

4
1992 and 1994, the use of illicit drugs among students statewide increased. The use of
marijuana, the most frequently used illicit substance, also increased among students statewide
over that two-year period.

In the Rice ISD, 14 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during their
lifetimes (19 percent statewide), while 11 percent of RISD students said they had used one or
more illicit substances three or more times (12 percent statewide), rates similar to those reported
by 7th and 8th grade students statewide. Statewide, students who said they had used illicit
drugs reported using them an average of 0.9 times in the past 30 days and 2.2 times during their
lives. Rice students reported average usage rates of 0.8 times in the past month and 1.9 times
during their lifetimes.

Eleven percent of RISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by their peers statewide (17 percent). Past-month marijuana
use was reported by 8 percent of Rice ISD students (8 percent statewide).

Nine percent of RISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana (7 percent statewide). Thirty percent of RISD students said marijuana
was somewhat or very easy to obtain, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by 7th and 8th
grade students statewide (21 percent).

Nine percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (12
percent statewide). Seven percent of district students said they had gotten into "difficulties of
any kind" with their friends because of their own drug use (5 percent statewide). Two percent
of the Rice ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of the
parties they attended during the school year, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by their
counterparts statewide (9 percent).

Fewer Rice ISD students who had not been absent since the Fall reported having used
marijuana during the past month (6 percent) than did district students who said they had missed
four or more days of school (29 percent). None of the district students who had not been in
trouble with school officials reported using marijuana within the past 30 days. By contrast, 57
percent of district students who had been in trouble with school officials on four or more days
reported using marijuana during the past 30 days.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Rice students reported a disapproval
rate of 89 percent (84 percent statewide). Nine percent of district students said they "don't
know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (11 percent statewide).

Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Rice ISD students. Five percent of RISD
students reported using steroids (2 percent statewide), 4 percent said they had used uppers (4
percent statewide), 3 percent said they had used hallucinogens (3 percent statewide), 3 percent
reported using downers (3 percent statewide), 3 percent said they had used powdered cocaine (3
percent statewide), 3 percent reported using crack (2 percent statewide), and 2 percent reported
using ecstasy (1 percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes.

5
CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Rice ISD, male students were somewhat more likely to have used inhalants or smoked
marijuana than were district female students. On the other hand, RISD female students were
the only reported users of powdered cocaine, downers, steroids, or ecstasy in the district. There
were no other significant differences by gender among RISD students with regard to the use of
tobacco products, alcohol, crack, hallucinogens, or uppers.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Rice students said they would seek help from their friends (76 percent), compared
to 68 percent of 7th and 8th grade students statewide. Sixty-six percent of district students said
they would turn to their parents for help with a drug or alcohol problem, a rate somewhat higher
than that reported by their peers statewide (58 percent). Fifty-six percent of RISD students said
they would seek help from an adult friend or relative (56 percent statewide). District students
are least likely to seek help from another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (38
percent/37 percent statewide). Since school began in the Fall, 5 percent of Rice students
reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other
than family or friends (8 percent statewide).

Seventy-four percent of Rice ISD students said they had obtained information about drugs and
alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 81 percent of 7th and
8th grade students statewide. "An assembly program" was reported by 59 percent of district
students as a source for information about drugs and alcohol (56 percent statewide), while 46
percent said "an invited school guest" was a source for this information (49 percent statewide).
Twenty-three percent of RISD students reported getting information about drugs and alcohol
from a "health class," a rate lower than that reported by their counterparts statewide (47
percent).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-one percent of Rice students believe that crack use is "very
dangerous" (89 percent statewide), and 89 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is "very
dangerous" (89 percent statewide). Eighty-five percent of RISD students believe that marijuana
use is "very dangerous" (76 percent statewide), and 81 percent believe that inhalant use is "very
dangerous" (75 percent statewide), rates somewhat higher than those reported by their peers
statewide. By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only 49
percent of RISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol (50 percent statewide),
while 48 percent believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous" (49 percent statewide).