TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

DOUGLASS ISD

SECONDARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OVERVIEW

In the Spring of 1995, 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 8 and 10 in the Douglass Independent School District (DISD). A total of 32
students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and
drugs. Of that number, 1 survey was excluded from analysis because the student did not
indicate grade or age, or because the student was identified as an exaggerator (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 31.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Forty-three percent of Douglass ISD students reported using tobacco at least once
during their lifetimes, and 17 percent said they had used tobacco during the past
month.

•None of the Douglass ISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while
11 percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Sixty-six percent of Douglass ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, and 26 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•None of the Douglass ISD students reported attending at least one class during the past
year while "drunk," while 6 percent of district 10th grade students said they had
driven a car at least once during the past year after having "a good bit to drink."

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

•Six percent of Douglass ISD students reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetimes, and 4 percent said they had used marijuana during the past
month.

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
•Douglass ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or alcohol
problem (90 percent) and least likely to consult another adult in school, such as a
teacher or nurse (39 percent).

Tobacco

Between 1992 and 1994, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless
products) among students statewide stayed much the same.2 Forty-three percent of Douglass
students reported general tobacco use at least once during their lifetimes. 3 Seventeen percent of
Douglass ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past month.

Forty-three percent of Douglass students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes, and 17 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month. None of the
district students reported smoking cigarettes on a daily basis, while 11 percent said most or all
of their close friends smoke cigarettes.

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 21 percent of DISD students, while
14 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month. Using a
smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 11 percent of district students, and
6 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 Douglass ISD.
Alcohol use among secondary students statewide in 1994 was similar to that reported in 1992.
Sixty-six percent of Douglass students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes. Twenty-six percent of Douglass ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during
the past month.

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Douglass students are wine coolers (53
percent) and beer (42 percent). Fifteen percent of DISD students said they drink beer on a
weekly or monthly basis, and 8 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly.

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Eleven percent of Douglass ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during the past year, while 10 percent said they usually drink five or
more beers at a time on average when they drink. Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers
2 Statewide data is collected every other year. The statewide data noted in this summary is taken from the
results of the survey administered in 1994.

3 Because a non-standard grade combination was used in this district, no state data for 8th and 10th grades
combined are available for comparisons throughout this report; and due to the small number of students
surveyed in this district, no between-grade comparisons can be made.

2
was reported by 11 percent of DISD students, while 7 percent said they usually drink five or
more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink.

None of the Douglass students reported attending at least one class during the past school year
while "drunk." Six percent of DISD 10th grade students said that they had driven a car after
having "a good bit to drink" at least once during the past year. None of the district 10th graders
reported driving while intoxicated four or more times during the past year.

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Seventy-one percent of Douglass ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor
were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain. Twenty-four percent of district students reported
most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, and 24 percent 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 7 percent of DISD students.

Twenty-seven percent of Douglass students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties
they attended in the past school year. Twenty-four percent of district students responded "at
parties" when asked where they obtain alcohol most of the time or always, while 11 percent of
DISD 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 gotten into trouble because of
conduct or attitude problems. Thirteen percent of DISD students who had not been absent since
the Fall reported having used alcohol during the past month, while 16 percent who said they had
missed four or more days of school reported having used alcohol during the past month. Sixty
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 16 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, 76 percent of Douglass students
said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove. Three percent of district students said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer, and 21 percent said their
parents neither approve nor disapprove.

Inhalants4

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. Four percent of Douglass students

4 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.

3
reported using inhalants at least once during their lifetimes. Four percent of Douglass ISD
students also said they had used inhalants during the past month.

Four percent of DISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants, while
none of the students said they had attended class during the past school year while "high" on
inhalants. Four percent of DISD students said they had used two or more different kinds of
inhalant substances during their lifetimes.

Four percent of Douglass ISD students said they had inhaled glue, 4 percent said they had
inhaled liquid/spray paint, and 4 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner at least once during
their lifetimes. None of the district students reported ever inhaling correction fluid/Liquid
Paper, gasoline, substances in the "other sprays" category, or substances in the "other inhalants"
category.

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
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 Douglass ISD, 10 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during
their lifetimes, while 10 percent of DISD students said they had used one or more illicit
substances three or more times. Douglass students reported average usage rates of 2.2 times in
the past month and 2.6 times during their lifetimes.

Six percent of DISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes.
Past-month marijuana use was reported by 4 percent of Douglass ISD students. Four percent of
DISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while "stoned" on marijuana.
Driving under the influence of drugs at least once during the past year was reported by 6
percent of Douglass ISD 10th grade students.

Thirty-five percent of DISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, and
4 percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana. Three percent of district
students said they had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends because of their
own drug use. Fourteen percent of the Douglass ISD students said that marijuana and/or other
drugs were used at most or all of the parties they attended during the school year.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Douglass students reported a
disapproval rate of 96 percent. Four percent of district students said they "don't know" how
their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana, while none said their parents neither
approve nor disapprove.

4
Downers are the next most frequently used illicit substance among Douglass ISD students (10
percent). Seven percent of DISD students reported using uppers and 4 percent said they had
used hallucinogens at least once during their lifetimes. None of the district students reported
ever using powdered cocaine, crack, steroids, or ecstasy.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL INFORMATION

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Douglass students said they would seek help from their friends (90 percent).
Sixty-eight percent of DISD students said they would seek help from an adult friend or relative,
and 64 percent said they would turn to their parents. District students are least likely to seek
help from another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (39 percent). Since school began
in the Fall, 4 percent of Douglass students reported seeking help for any problems connected
with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends.

Ninety-seven percent of Douglass ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs
and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall. Sixty-six percent of district
students said "an invited school guest" was a source for information about drugs and alcohol,
while 61 percent reported getting this information from a "health class." Fifty-six percent of
DISD students reported "an assembly program" as a source for information about drugs and
alcohol.

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. All of the Douglass students believe that crack use is "very dangerous,"
and all of the district students believe that powdered cocaine use is "very dangerous." Ninety-
two percent of DISD students believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous," and 89 percent
believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous." By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol
and tobacco use is lower. Only 54 percent of DISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to
use alcohol, while 32 percent believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous."