TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

KENNEDALE 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 grade 9 in the Kennedale Independent School District (KISD). A total of 119
students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and
drugs. Of that number, 7 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 112.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Seventy percent of Kennedale ISD students reported using tobacco at least once during
their lifetimes, and 37 percent said they had used tobacco during the past month.

•Twenty percent of KISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while 1
percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Seventy-eight percent of Kennedale ISD students said they had used alcohol at least
once during their lifetimes, and 43 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•Ten percent of KISD students reported attending at least one class during the past year
while "drunk," and 4 percent of district 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 27 percent of district students, while

past-month inhalant use was reported by 4 percent.

•Twenty-eight percent of KISD students reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetimes, and 15 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.

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•Kennedale 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 (30 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 Kennedale ISD 9th grade students is higher than that reported by their
counterparts statewide.

Seventy percent of Kennedale students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 57 percent of 9th graders statewide. Thirty-seven percent of Kennedale
ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past month, a rate higher than that
reported by their peers statewide (26 percent).

Sixty-seven percent of Kennedale students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes (55 percent statewide), and 33 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past
month (24 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported by 9th grade students statewide.
Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 20 percent of district students, compared to
7 percent of students statewide. Thirty-three percent of KISD students said most or all of their
close friends smoke cigarettes.2

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 25 percent of KISD students, a rate
somewhat higher than that reported by 9th graders statewide (16 percent). Eight percent of
Kennedale students said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month (6
percent statewide). Using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 1
percent of district students (1 percent statewide), and 7 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 Kennedale ISD.
Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that reported two years ago.
Overall, Kennedale ISD 9th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates similar to those
reported by their peers statewide.

Seventy-eight percent of Kennedale students reported consuming alcohol at least once during
their lifetimes (76 percent statewide). Forty-three percent of Kennedale ISD students said they
had consumed alcohol during the past month (41 percent statewide).

2
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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The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Kennedale students are wine coolers (66
percent/61 percent statewide) and beer (61 percent/62 percent statewide). Thirty-nine percent
of KISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (40 percent statewide), and
39 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (36 percent statewide).

"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 44
percent of KISD students (43 percent statewide), while 21 percent said they usually drink five
or more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink (21 percent statewide). Forty-one
percent of Kennedale ISD students reported "binge drinking" beer at least once during the past
year (41 percent statewide), while 23 percent said they usually drink five or more beers at a
time on average when they drink (21 percent statewide).

Ten percent of Kennedale students reported attending at least one class during the past school
year while "drunk," the same rate reported by students statewide. Four percent of KISD
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 2 percent of district students (2 percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Eighty-four percent of Kennedale ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor
were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (77 percent statewide), and 46 percent reported most
or all of their close friends drink alcohol (40 percent statewide), rates somewhat higher than
those reported by their peers statewide. Forty-two 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 6 percent of KISD
students (9 percent statewide).

Forty-one percent of Kennedale students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they
attended in the past school year (39 percent statewide). Forty-two percent of district students
responded "at parties" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always,
while 18 percent of KISD 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 KISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (39 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (47 percent). Seventy-two 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 14 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, 73 percent of Kennedale
students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (75 percent statewide). Seven percent
of district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking
beer (10 percent statewide), and 12 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove
(13 percent statewide).

Inhalants3

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, Kennedale ISD 9th grade
students are using inhalants at rates somewhat higher than those reported by their counterparts
statewide.

Twenty-seven percent of Kennedale students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 19 percent of 9th graders statewide. Four percent of Kennedale ISD
students said they had used inhalants during the past month (5 percent statewide).

Three percent of KISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (3
percent statewide), and 3 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school
year while "high" on inhalants (4 percent statewide). Fifteen percent of KISD students said
they had used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes (12
percent statewide).

The inhalant substance most frequently used by Kennedale students was correction fluid/Liquid
Paper (14 percent/10 percent statewide). Twelve percent of district students reported inhaling
gasoline (6 percent statewide), 12 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants"
category (8 percent statewide), 9 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner (6 percent
statewide), 8 percent said they had inhaled glue (6 percent statewide), and 8 percent said they
had inhaled liquid/spray paint (7 percent statewide) 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.

3
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 Kennedale ISD, 28 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during
their lifetimes (30 percent statewide), while 23 percent of KISD students said they had used one
or more illicit substances three or more times (21 percent statewide). Statewide, students who
said they had used illicit drugs reported using them an average of 1.7 times in the past 30 days
and 4.6 times during their lives. Kennedale students reported average usage rates of 2.3 times
in the past month and 6.1 times during their lifetimes.

Twenty-eight percent of KISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes,
the same rate reported by 9th graders statewide. Past-month marijuana use was reported by 15
percent of Kennedale ISD students (14 percent statewide).

Twelve percent of KISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana (12 percent statewide). Driving under the influence of drugs at least
once during the past year was reported by 6 percent of Kennedale ISD students (6 percent
statewide).

Fifty-eight percent of KISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain (52
percent statewide), and 21 percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (21
percent statewide). Six 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). Fourteen percent
of the Kennedale ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of
the parties they attended during the school year (19 percent statewide).

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Kennedale students reported a
disapproval rate of 93 percent (86 percent statewide). Four percent of district students said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (8 percent statewide),
while 2 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (4 percent statewide).

Uppers (11 percent/8 percent statewide) and hallucinogens (10 percent/6 percent statewide) are
the next most frequently used illicit substances among Kennedale ISD students. Six percent of
KISD students reported using downers (7 percent statewide), 5 percent said they had used
powdered cocaine (6 percent statewide), 5 percent said they had used steroids (2 percent
statewide), and 4 percent reported using crack (2 percent statewide) 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
Kennedale ISD, however, female students were somewhat more likely to have used uppers than
were male students, and female students were the only reported users of powdered cocaine in
the district. There were no other significant differences by gender among KISD students with
regard to the use of tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, marijuana, or other illicit substances.

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Statewide, students making A and B grades reported lower drug use than did students making
C, D, and F grades. In the Kennedale ISD, students reporting lower grades were somewhat
more likely to have used marijuana than were those students making A and B grades. On the
other hand, those KISD students making A and B grades were the only reported users of crack
or ecstasy in the district. There were no other significant differences by grade average among
KISD students with regard to the use of tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, or other illegal drugs.

In the statewide survey, students living in two-parent homes reported lower drug use than did
students living in other family situations. KISD students living in other family situations were
nearly two times more likely to have used marijuana, over two times more likely to have used
inhalants, and over three times more likely to have used hallucinogens or uppers than were
those district students living in homes with two parents. In addition, KISD students living in
other family situations were the only reported users of ecstasy in the district. There were no
other significant differences by living arrangement among Kennedale ISD students with regard
to the use of tobacco, alcohol, or other illicit drugs.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Kennedale students said they would seek help from their friends (79 percent/74
percent statewide). Fifty-eight percent of KISD students said they would seek help from an
adult friend or relative (58 percent statewide), and 50 percent said they would turn to their
parents (51 percent statewide). District students are least likely to seek help from another adult
in school, such as a teacher or nurse (30 percent/33 percent statewide). Since school began in
the Fall, 15 percent of Kennedale students reported seeking help for any problems connected
with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends (7 percent statewide).

Fifty-three percent of Kennedale ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs and
alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 80 percent of 9th
graders statewide. "An assembly program" was reported by 25 percent of district students as a
source for this information (53 percent statewide), while 17 percent reported getting
information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class" (45 percent statewide). Thirteen
percent of KISD students said "an invited school guest" was a source for this information (45
percent statewide).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-three percent of Kennedale students believe that crack use is
"very dangerous" (90 percent statewide), and 90 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is
"very dangerous" (88 percent statewide). Seventy percent of KISD students believe that
inhalant use is "very dangerous" (76 percent statewide), and 57 percent believe that marijuana
use is "very dangerous" (63 percent statewide), rates somewhat lower than those reported by 9th
graders statewide. By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only
42 percent of KISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol (42 percent
statewide). Twenty-five of Kennedale ISD students believe that tobacco use is "very
dangerous," a rate lower than that reported by 9th grade students statewide (38 percent).