TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

HURST-EULESS-BEDFORD 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 and 9 in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (HEBISD).
A total of 2447 students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences
with alcohol and drugs. Of that number, 121 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 2326.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Forty-six percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students reported using tobacco at least

once during their lifetimes, and 21 percent said they had used tobacco during the
past month.

•Six percent of HEBISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while
none of the students reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily
basis.

•Sixty percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said they had used alcohol at least
once during their lifetimes, and 31 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•Six percent of HEBISD students reported attending at least one class during the past
year while "drunk," and 5 percent of district 9th 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 20 percent of district students, while

past-month inhalant use was reported by 5 percent.

•Seventeen percent of HEBISD students reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetimes, and 9 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: Hurst-
Euless-Bedford ISD." 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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•Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a
drug or alcohol problem (79 percent) and least likely to consult another adult in
school, such as a teacher or nurse (33 percent), or a counselor or program in
school (34 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 Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD 7th and 9th grade students is similar to that
reported by their counterparts statewide.

Forty-six percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students reported general tobacco use at least once
during their lifetimes.2 Lifetime general tobacco use was reported by 36 percent of district 7th
graders (40 percent statewide) and 57 percent of HEBISD 9th graders (57 percent statewide).

Twenty-one percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said they had used a tobacco product
during the past month. Current general tobacco use was reported by 14 percent of HEBISD 7th
grade students (16 percent statewide) and 28 percent of district 9th grade students (26 percent
statewide).

Forty-four percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students reported smoking cigarettes at least once

during their lifetimes, and 19 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month.
Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 6 percent of district students. Daily
cigarette use was reported by 3 percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD 7th graders (3 percent
statewide) and 10* percent of district 9th graders (7 percent statewide).3 Seventeen percent of
HEBISD students said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 14 percent of HEBISD students,
and 4 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month. None of
the district students reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis, while 2 percent
said most or all of their close friends use smokeless tobacco.

2 Because a non-standard grade combination was used in this district, no state data for 7th and 9th grades
combined are available for comparisons throughout this report.

3 Data in this report marked with an asterisk are estimated to be statistically significant at the .01 level from
the comparable data for the state as a whole. This means that in only one of one hundred samples would a
difference this large have occurred when there was no difference between the district and state data. Differences
in very small districts will seldom be statistically significant due to the small number of cases. Differences that
are not marked may be important, but should be treated with more caution than those that are statistically
significant.

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Alcohol

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among students statewide and in the Hurst-Euless-
Bedford ISD. Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that reported two
years ago.

Sixty percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students reported consuming alcohol at least once during
their lifetimes. Lifetime alcohol use was reported by 49* percent of HEBISD 7th graders, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by 7th graders statewide (58 percent statewide). Seventy-
three percent of district 9th graders reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes (76 percent statewide).

Thirty-one percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said they had consumed alcohol
during the past month. Current alcohol use was reported by 18* percent of HEBISD 7th
graders, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by their 7th grade peers statewide (24 percent
statewide). Forty-five* percent of district 9th graders said they had consumed alcohol during
the past month (41 percent statewide).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Hurst-Euless-Bedford students are wine
coolers (46 percent) and beer (44 percent). Twenty-six percent of HEBISD students said they
drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis, and 24 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. Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 30
percent of HEBISD students, while 14 percent said they usually drink five or more wine coolers
at a time on average when they drink. Twenty-eight percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
students reported "binge drinking" beer at least once during the past year, while 13 percent said
they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink.
Six percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students reported attending at least one class during the
past school year while "drunk." Attending class while intoxicated was reported by 5* percent of
HEBISD 7th graders (7 percent statewide) and 8* percent of district 9th graders (10 percent
statewide). Five* percent of HEBISD 9th grade students said that they had driven a car after
having "a good bit to drink" at least once during the past year (9 percent statewide). Driving
while intoxicated four or more times during the past year was reported by 1 percent of district
9th graders (2 percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Seventy-two percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said beer, wine, wine
coolers, or liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain. Twenty-five percent of district
students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, and 27 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 HEBISD students.

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Twenty-three percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students said alcohol was used at most or all of
the parties they attended in the past school year. Alcohol use at most or all parties was reported
by 10* percent of district 7th graders (13 percent statewide) and 38 percent of HEBISD 9th
graders (39 percent statewide). Thirty percent of district students responded "at parties" when
asked where they obtain alcohol most of the time or always, while 9 percent of HEBISD
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 HEBISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (21 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (37 percent). Sixty-three 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 17 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, 81 percent of Hurst-Euless-
Bedford students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove. Seven percent of district
students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer, and 8
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. Over the last two years,
use of inhalants among students statewide decreased.

Twenty percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students reported using inhalants at least once during
their lifetimes. Lifetime inhalant use was reported by 17* percent of district 7th grade students
(20 percent statewide). Twenty-five* percent of HEBISD 9th grade students reported using
inhalants at least once during their lifetimes, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by their
9th grade peers statewide (19 percent).

Five percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past
month. Current inhalant use was reported by 5* percent of district 7th grade students (7 percent
statewide) and 6 percent of HEBISD 9th grade students (5 percent statewide).

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

The inhalant substances most frequently used by Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students were
correction fluid/Liquid Paper (11 percent), substances in the "other inhalants" category (10
percent), and glue (9 percent). Seven percent of district students said they had inhaled gasoline,
7 percent said they had inhaled liquid/spray paint, and 7 percent said they had inhaled paint
thinner at least once during their lifetimes.

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.

In the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, 21 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least
once during their lifetimes, while 14 percent of HEBISD students said they had used one or
more illicit substances three or more times. Hurst-Euless-Bedford students who said they had
used illicit drugs reported using them an average of 1.2 times in the past 30 days and 3.2 times
during their lives.

Seventeen percent of HEBISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes.
Lifetime marijuana use was reported by 9* of Hurst-Euless-Bedford 7th graders (13 percent
statewide) and 26 percent of district 9th graders (28 percent statewide).

Past-month marijuana use was reported by 9 percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students.

Current marijuana use was reported by 5 percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford 7th graders (6
percent statewide) and 14 percent of district 9th graders (14 percent statewide).

Seven percent of HEBISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana. Attending class while stoned was reported by 3 percent of Hurst-
Euless-Bedford 7th graders (6 percent statewide) and 10 percent of district 9th graders (12
percent statewide). Driving under the influence of drugs at least once during the past year was
reported by 5 percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD 9th grade students (6 percent statewide).

Thirty-three percent of HEBISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain,
and 10 percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana. Five percent of district
students said they had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends because of their
own drug use.

Eleven percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs
were used at most or all of the parties they attended during the school year. Marijuana and/or

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other drug use at most or all parties was reported by 5 percent of district 7th graders (6 percent
statewide) and 17 percent of HEBISD 9th graders (19 percent statewide).

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Hurst-Euless-Bedford students
reported a disapproval rate of 91 percent. Five percent of district students said they "don't
know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana, while 3 percent said their
parents neither approve nor disapprove.

Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students.
Eight percent of HEBISD students reported using uppers, 7 percent said they had used
hallucinogens, 5 percent reported using downers, 3 percent said they had used powdered
cocaine, and 3 percent reported using ecstasy at least once during their lifetimes.

CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, male students were somewhat more likely to have used marijuana
than were district female students. There were no other significant differences by gender
among HEBISD students with regard to the use of tobacco products, alcohol, inhalants, or other
illicit substances.

In the statewide survey, students living in two-parent homes reported lower drug use than did
students living in other family situations. HEBISD students living in other family situations
were somewhat more likely to have used a tobacco product or alcohol and twice as likely to
have used marijuana than were those district students living in homes with two parents. There
were no other significant differences by living arrangement among Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
students with regard to the use of inhalants or other illegal drugs.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students said they would seek help from their friends (79
percent). Fifty-nine percent of HEBISD students said they would turn to their parents, and 57
percent said they would seek help from an adult friend or relative. District students are least
likely to seek help from another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (33 percent), or a
counselor or program in school (34 percent). Since school began in the Fall, 5 percent of Hurst-
Euless-Bedford students reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug
use from someone other than family or friends.

Ninety-two percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD students said they had gotten information
about drugs and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall. "An assembly
program" was reported by 70 percent of district students as a source for this information. Sixty-
four percent of HEBISD students said "an invited school guest" was a source for this
information, and 31 percent reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a
"health class."

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The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-three percent of Hurst-Euless-Bedford students believe that
crack use is "very dangerous," and 92 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is "very
dangerous." Seventy-five percent of HEBISD students believe that inhalant use is "very
dangerous," and 74 percent believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous." By contrast, the
perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only 45 percent of HEBISD students
feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol, while 39 percent believe that tobacco use is "very
dangerous."