TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

EDGEWOOD ISD (TX)

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 and 8 in the Edgewood Independent School District (EISD). A total of 108
students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and
drugs. Of that number, 2 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 106.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Forty-two percent of Edgewood ISD students reported using tobacco at least once
during their lifetimes, and 16 percent said they had used tobacco during the past
month.

•Less than 1 percent of EISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while
3 percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Forty-nine percent of Edgewood ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, and 22 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•Three percent of EISD students reported attending at least one class during the past
year while "drunk."

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 7 percent of district students, while

past-month inhalant use was reported by 2 percent.

•Two percent of EISD students reported using marijuana at least once during their
lifetimes, and 1 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
(Standardized): District Survey Results." Sixth grade student participation in the secondary survey has been
eliminated throughout this report so that comparisons can be made with statewide data. 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.

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•Edgewood ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or
alcohol problem (74 percent) and least likely to consult a counselor or program
in school (36 percent).

Tobacco

Over the last two years, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless
products) among students statewide has stayed much the same. Overall, the general use of
tobacco products among Edgewood ISD 7th and 8th grade students is somewhat similar to that
reported by their counterparts statewide.

Forty-two percent of Edgewood students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes (46 percent statewide).2 Sixteen percent of Edgewood ISD students said they had used
a tobacco product during the past month (20 percent statewide).

Thirty-seven percent of Edgewood students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during
their lifetimes (44 percent statewide), and 9 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the
past month (18 percent statewide), rates somewhat lower than those reported by 7th and 8th
grade students statewide. Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by less than 1
percent of district students (4 percent statewide), while 1 percent said most or all of their close
friends smoke cigarettes.3

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 21 percent of EISD students (13
percent statewide), while 10 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the
past month (4 percent statewide), rates somewhat higher than those reported by their
counterparts statewide. Using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 3
percent of district students (1 percent statewide), 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 Edgewood ISD.
Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that reported two years ago.
Overall, Edgewood ISD 7th and 8th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates somewhat
lower than those reported by their peers statewide.

Forty-nine percent of Edgewood students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 63 percent of 7th and 8th graders statewide. Twenty-two percent of

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

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

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Edgewood ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by their counterparts statewide (29 percent).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Edgewood students are beer (44 percent/47
percent statewide) and wine coolers (36 percent/47 percent statewide). Nineteen percent of
EISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (27 percent statewide), and 16
percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (26 percent statewide), rates somewhat
lower than those reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide.

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Twenty-eight percent of Edgewood ISD students reported
"binge drinking" beer at least once during the past year (29 percent statewide), while 8 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 25 percent of EISD
students (30 percent statewide), while 9 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 among friends, and its use at
parties. Fifty-six percent of Edgewood 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 7th and
8th grade students statewide (64 percent statewide). Three percent of Edgewood students
reported attending at least one class during the past school year while "drunk" (9 percent
statewide).

Nine percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol,
compared to 24 percent of students statewide. Thirteen percent of Edgewood 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 2 percent
of EISD students (7 percent statewide).

Seven percent of Edgewood students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they
attended in the past school year, a rate lower than that reported by their peers statewide (19
percent). Eleven percent of district students responded "at parties" when asked where they
obtained alcohol most of the time or always, while 1 percent of EISD 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. Fewer EISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (18 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (29 percent). Forty 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 19 percent of district students who had
not experienced difficulties with school officials because of conduct problems had used alcohol
within the past 30 days.

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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, 83 percent of Edgewood
students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (77 percent statewide). Seven percent
of district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking
beer (13 percent statewide), and 4 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (7
percent statewide).

Inhalants4

In general, inhalants are common, licit substances (paints, thinners, correction fluid, glue, etc.)
which, when sniffed, huffed, or inhaled, produce an intoxicating effect. Over the last two years,
use of inhalants among students statewide decreased. Overall, Edgewood ISD 7th and 8th
grade students are using inhalants at rates somewhat lower than those reported by their
counterparts statewide.

Seven percent of Edgewood students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 22 percent of 7th and 8th graders statewide. Two percent of Edgewood
ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past month (7 percent statewide).

Less than 1 percent of EISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (4
percent statewide), while 1 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past
school year while "high" on inhalants (6 percent statewide). Three percent of EISD students
said they had used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes, a
rate lower than that reported by 7th and 8th grade students statewide (14 percent).

Five percent of Edgewood students said they had inhaled correction fluid/Liquid Paper (10
percent statewide), 4 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants" category (10
percent statewide), 2 percent said they had inhaled glue (7 percent statewide), and 2 percent
reported inhaling substances in the "other sprays" category (5 percent statewide) at least once
during their lifetimes. None of the EISD students reported ever inhaling liquid/spray paint (8
percent statewide) or paint thinners (7 percent statewide).
Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are defined as controlled substances and include marijuana, cocaine (powdered
form and crack), uppers (stimulants), downers (narcotics), hallucinogens, and ecstasy. Over the
last two years, the use of illicit drugs among students statewide has increased. The use of
marijuana, the most frequently used illicit substance, has also increased among students
statewide over the last two years.

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.

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In the Edgewood ISD, 2 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during
their lifetimes (19 percent statewide), while less than 1 percent of EISD students said they had
used one or more illicit substances three or more times (12 percent statewide), rates lower than
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. Edgewood students reported average usage rates of 0 times in the past month
and 0 times during their lifetimes.

Two percent of EISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
lower than that reported by their peers statewide (17 percent). Past-month marijuana use was
reported by 1 percent of Edgewood ISD students (8 percent statewide).

Thirteen percent of EISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (21 percent). None of the
Edgewood ISD students reported attending class in the past year while "stoned" on marijuana (7
percent statewide), none of the students reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana
(12 percent statewide), and none of the district students said they had gotten into "difficulties of
any kind" with their friends because of their own drug use (5 percent statewide). None of the
Edgewood ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of the
parties they attended during the school year, compared to 9 percent of their counterparts
statewide.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Edgewood students reported a
disapproval rate of 89 percent (84 percent statewide). Five percent of district students said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (11 percent statewide),
while 1 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (3 percent statewide).

The only illicit substance reportedly used by Edgewood ISD students was steroids (1 percent/2
percent statewide). None of the EISD students reported using uppers (4 percent statewide),
hallucinogens (3 percent statewide), downers (3 percent statewide), or powdered cocaine (3
percent statewide).

CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Edgewood ISD, male students were somewhat more likely to have used a tobacco product,
alcohol, or inhalants than were district female students. In addition, EISD male students were
the only reported users of marijuana or steroids in the district.

In the statewide survey, students living in two-parent homes reported lower drug use than did
students living in other family situations. EISD students living in other family situations were
somewhat more likely to have used a tobacco product or alcohol than were those district

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students living in homes with two parents, and district students living in other family situations
were the only reported users of marijuana in the district. On the other hand, EISD students
living in two-parent homes were the only reported users of steroids. There was no significant
difference by living arrangement among Edgewood ISD students with regard to inhalant use.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Edgewood students said they would seek help from their friends (74 percent/68
percent statewide). Sixty-seven percent of EISD students said they would turn to their parents
(58 percent statewide), and 66 percent said they would seek help from an adult friend or relative
(56 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported by their 7th and 8th grade peers
statewide. District students are least likely to seek help from a counselor or program in school
(36 percent/43 percent statewide). Since school began in the Fall, 6 percent of Edgewood
students reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use from
someone other than family or friends (7 percent statewide).

Eighty-seven percent of Edgewood ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs
and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 81 percent of
students statewide. Forty-three percent of EISD students said "an invited school guest" was a
source for information about drugs and alcohol (49 percent statewide). "An assembly program"
was reported by 29 percent of district students as a source for this information (56 percent
statewide), while 22 percent reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a
"health class" (47 percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by their counterparts
statewide.

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-seven percent of Edgewood students believe that crack use is
"very dangerous" (89 percent statewide), and 97 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is
"very dangerous" (89 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported by 7th and 8th graders
statewide. Ninety-two percent of EISD students believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous"
(76 percent statewide), and 85 percent believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous" (75 percent
statewide), rates also higher than those reported by their counterparts statewide. By contrast,
the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Seventy
percent of EISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol (50 percent statewide),
and 44 percent believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous" (41 percent statewide).