TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

STEPHENVILLE 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 Stephenville Independent School District (SISD). A total of 207
students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and
drugs. Of that number, 13 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 194.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

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

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

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

•Nine percent of SISD students reported attending at least one class during the past year
while "drunk," and 5 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 17 percent of district students, while

past-month inhalant use was reported by 2 percent.

•Eleven percent of SISD 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.

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•Stephenville ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or
alcohol problem (83 percent) and least likely to consult another adult in school,
such as a nurse or teacher (44 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 Stephenville ISD 9th grade students is somewhat lower than that
reported by their counterparts statewide.

Forty-eight percent of Stephenville students reported general tobacco use at least once during
their lifetimes, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by 9th graders statewide (57 percent).
Twenty-two percent of Stephenville ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during
the past month (26 percent statewide).

Forty-four percent of Stephenville students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during
their lifetimes, a rate lower than that reported by their peers statewide (55 percent). Nineteen
percent of SISD students said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month (24 percent
statewide). Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 5 percent of district students (7
percent statewide), while 15 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.2

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 24 percent of SISD students, a rate
somewhat higher than that reported by 9th grade students statewide (16 percent). Six percent
of Stephenville ISD 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 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 Stephenville
ISD. Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that reported two years
ago. Overall, Stephenville ISD 9th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates somewhat lower
than those reported by their peers statewide.

Sixty percent of Stephenville students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 76 percent of students statewide. Thirty-one percent of Stephenville ISD
students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month, a rate lower than that reported
by 9th graders statewide (41 percent).

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 Stephenville students are beer (52 percent/62
percent statewide) and wine coolers (49 percent/61 percent statewide), rates lower than those
reported by their counterparts statewide. Twenty-eight percent of SISD students said they drink
beer on a weekly or monthly basis (40 percent statewide), and 26 percent said they drink wine
coolers weekly or monthly (36 percent statewide), rates also lower than those reported by 9th
grade students statewide.

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Thirty-two percent of Stephenville ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during the past year, compared to 41 percent of their peers
statewide. Seventeen percent of district students said they usually drink five or more beers at a
time on average when they drink (21 percent statewide). Past-year "binge drinking" of wine
coolers was reported by 29 percent of SISD students, a rate lower than that reported by 9th
graders statewide (43 percent). Sixteen percent of district students said they usually drink five
or more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink (21 percent statewide).

Nine percent of Stephenville students reported attending at least one class during the past school
year while "drunk" (10 percent statewide). Five percent of SISD 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 students (2 percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Seventy-four percent of Stephenville ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or
liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (77 percent statewide). Twenty-eight percent
of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, a rate lower than that
reported by 9th graders statewide (40 percent). Thirty-three percent of SISD 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 14
percent of SISD students (9 percent statewide).

Forty percent of Stephenville students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they
attended in the past school year (39 percent statewide). Thirty-four percent of district students
responded "at parties" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always,
while 7 percent of SISD 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 SISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (13 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (40 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 18 percent of district students

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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 Stephenville
students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove, compared to 75 percent of students
statewide. Six percent of district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about
kids their age drinking beer (10 percent statewide), and 8 percent said their parents neither
approve nor disapprove (11 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, Stephenville ISD 9th grade
students are using inhalants at rates similar to those reported by their counterparts statewide.

Seventeen percent of Stephenville students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes (19 percent statewide). Two percent of Stephenville ISD students said they had used
inhalants during the past month (5 percent statewide).

Two percent of SISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (3 percent
statewide), and 2 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school year
while "high" on inhalants (4 percent statewide). Nine percent of SISD 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 Stephenville students was correction
fluid/Liquid Paper (8 percent/10 percent statewide). Six percent of district students said they
had inhaled liquid/spray paint (7 percent statewide), 5 percent said they had inhaled glue (6
percent statewide), 5 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other sprays" category (4
percent statewide), and 5 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants" category
(8 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

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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marijuana, the most frequently used illicit substance, has also increased among students
statewide over the last two years.

In the Stephenville ISD, 13 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during
their lifetimes (30 percent statewide), while 8 percent of SISD students said they had used one
or more illicit substances three or more times (21 percent statewide), rates lower than those
reported by their 9th grade peers 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. Stephenville students reported average usage rates of 0.8 times in the past month and 2.1
times during their lifetimes.

Eleven percent of SISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
lower than that reported by 9th grade students statewide (28 percent). Past-month marijuana
use was reported by 4 percent of Stephenville ISD students, compared to 14 percent of 9th
graders statewide.

Two percent of SISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana, a rate lower than reported by their peers statewide (12 percent). Driving
under the influence of drugs at least once during the past year was reported by 2 percent of
Stephenville ISD students (6 percent statewide).

Twenty-four percent of SISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain (52
percent statewide), and 6 percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (21
percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by 9th graders statewide. Four 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). Nine percent of Stephenville 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 19 percent of their counterparts statewide.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Stephenville students reported a
disapproval rate of 93 percent, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by 9th graders
statewide (86 percent). Five percent of district students said they "don't know" how their
parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (8 percent statewide), while 1 percent said
their parents neither approve nor disapprove (4 percent statewide).

Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Stephenville ISD students. Six percent of
SISD students reported using uppers (8 percent statewide), 4 percent reported using ecstasy (2
percent statewide), 3 percent said they had used hallucinogens (6 percent statewide), and 3
percent said they had used steroids (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
Stephenville ISD, male students were somewhat more likely to have used inhalants than were

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female students, and male students were the only reported users of powdered cocaine. On the
other hand, district female students were somewhat more likely to have used uppers than were
their male counterparts. There were no other significant differences by gender among SISD
students with regard to the use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, 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. SISD students living in other family situations were
somewhat more likely to have used a tobacco product or inhalants and over three times more
likely to have used marijuana than were those district students living in homes with two parents.
On the other hand, district students living in two-parent homes were the only reported users of
powdered cocaine. There were no other significant differences by living arrangement among
Stephenville ISD students with regard to the use of alcohol or other illegal drugs.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Stephenville students said they would seek help from their friends (83 percent), a
rate somewhat higher than that reported by 9th graders statewide (74 percent). Sixty-two
percent of district students said they would turn to their parents, a rate higher than that reported
by their peers statewide (51 percent). Fifty-eight percent of SISD students said they would seek
help from an adult friend or relative (58 percent statewide). District students are least likely to
seek help from another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (44 percent), compared to 33
percent of students statewide. Since school began in the Fall, 5 percent of Stephenville students
reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other
than family or friends (7 percent statewide).

Eighty-four percent of Stephenville ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs
and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall (80 percent statewide). Sixty-
two percent of district students reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a
"health class," a rate higher than that reported by 9th grade students statewide (45 percent). "An
assembly program" was reported by 51 percent of district students as a source for this
information (53 percent statewide). Thirty-five percent of district students said "an invited
school guest" was a source for information about drugs and alcohol, a rate lower than that
reported by their peers statewide (45 percent).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-four percent of Stephenville students believe that crack use is
"very dangerous" (90 percent statewide), and 93 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is
"very dangerous" (88 percent statewide). Eighty-seven percent of district students believe that
marijuana use is "very dangerous," a rate higher than that reported by 9th graders statewide (63
percent). Eighty-five percent of SISD students believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous,"
compared to 76 percent of students statewide. By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and
tobacco use is lower. Fifty-nine percent of SISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use
alcohol, a rate higher than that reported by their 9th grade peers statewide (42 percent). Forty-
two percent of Stephenville ISD students believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous" (38
percent statewide).