Texas School Survey Of Drug And Alcohol Use

Comal ISD

Secondary Executive Summary

Introduction

The Texas School Survey is an annual collection of self-reported tobacco, alcohol, inhalant, and
substance use data from among elementary and/or secondary students in individual districts throughout
the state of Texas. The survey, conducted by the Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) in conjunction
with the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA), is also administered every other
year to a representative sample of Texas students in grades 4 through 6 and grades 7 through 12.

Data from the statewide sampling, last administered in the Spring of 1998, are incorporated into an
over-time database maintained by TCADA to track trends in substance use so that policymakers at the
state level have up-to-date information upon which to base decisions and plot prevention strategies.
These data also serve as an overall standard of comparison for use by those at the district level to
interpret, and act upon, local survey findings in a similar way.

The executive summary begins with a section containing a general demographic overview of those who
took the survey in the participating district. This is followed by sections dealing with the various
substances covered by the survey---tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and illicit drugs. The summary
concludes with a section that explores selected characteristics associated with substance use in the
district and a final one dealing with where students come by what they know about drugs and alcohol
and to whom they might turn if they thought they were having a problem.

For context, each section dealing with substance use will begin with a brief, over-time glimpse of the
statewide trends in the 1990's with regard to that substance. Use data are then sandwiched in between
subsections dealing with environment and, where the data are applicable, with behavior specifically
associated with substance use.

Items that are generally recognized as contributing to the environment in which substance use is most
likely to occur include availability, peer use, and parental attitudes. Included in the behavior category
are such things as "binge drinking" (the consuming of five or more alcoholic beverages at one time),
attending class drunk or stoned, use of alcohol or illicit drugs at parties, or operating a motor vehicle
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

As for the actual, self-reported use of each substance, it is important to note the frequency of such use.
Is it experimental, a once-in-a-lifetime thing? Is it casual use, a once-in-a-while behavior? Or is it
regular use, a monthly, weekly, or---in the case of tobacco products in particular---a daily habit?
Further, use data are used to differentiate between those who smoke cigarettes from those who use a
smokeless tobacco product, those who drink beer from those who drink wine coolers, those who sniff
correction fluid from those who sniff glue, and those who smoke marijuana from those who snort
powdered cocaine.

Three final points should be noted about the data. First, 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. Second, because a non-standard grade combination was surveyed in this
district, no state data for grades 7, 9, and 11 combined are available for comparisons throughout this
report, although between-grade comparisons with state data can be made.

Finally, some data in this report are marked with an asterisk. Data so marked 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 a 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.

The percentages referred to in the executive summary that follows were taken from the tables found in
"Part I: District Survey Results."

Demographic Overview

In the Spring of 1998, the Texas School Survey was administered to students in grades 7, 9, and 11 in
the Comal Independent School District (CISD). Texas School Survey protocols, formulated to ensure
that the data used in this analysis has an acceptable probability of error, called for the district to
administer the survey to all of the secondary students. The accuracy of the data requires that school
staff administering the survey followed the protocols and, because the Comal ISD did not survey all
students in the aforementioned grades (based upon student population figures provided by the district),
it must be presumed that a reliable sampling method was employed by district officials to determine
which students and/or classrooms would make up the assessment.

A total of 1079 students completed the questionnaire. Of that number, 26 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 1053, consisting of:

• Thirty-seven percent who are 7th graders, 36 percent who are 9th graders, and 27 percent who are
11th graders;

• A few less male (41 percent) than female (59 percent) students;

• An ethnic breakdown that is 81 percent white, 14 percent Mexican-American, 1 percent African-

American, 1 percent Asian-American, and 3 percent other;

• Seventy-one percent who say they live in a two-parent home, and 63 percent who report they have

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 lived in the district for three or more years; and

• Fifty-seven percent who say their parent(s) are college graduates, and 15 percent who indicate they
qualify for free/reduced lunches at school.

Tobacco

General tobacco use includes both cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. Between 1990 and
1998, those secondary students statewide who have reported experimental use of tobacco products has
stayed relatively flat at just over 50 percent. On the other hand, the prevalence of those secondary
students reporting past-month use inched upward from 1992 through 1996. This upward trend in more
recent use appears to have leveled off in 1998, however.

Overall, the general use of tobacco products among Comal ISD students in 199 was somewhat similar
to that reported by their counterparts statewide. However, CISD students in grade 7 were using these
tobacco products at rates somewhat lower than that indicated by their peers statewide.

Environment. Two-thirds of CISD students (68 percent) reported that cigarettes are somewhat or
very easy to get, while 19 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes. Just over half
of district students (53 percent) indicated that smokeless tobacco products are somewhat or very easy
to get, and 6 percent said most or all of their close friends use smokeless tobacco.

Students were asked about parental attitudes toward the use of cigarettes by “kids your age.” Eighty-
six percent of CISD students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove of kids smoking, while 10
percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove of such behavior, and 4 percent said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age smoking cigarettes.

Thirty-eight percent of Comal students believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous."

Use. Half of Comal students (51 percent) reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes. A third of CISD 7th grade students (32* percent) said they had experimented with a tobacco
product at least one time in their lives, a rate lower than that indicated by their peers statewide (40
percent). Experimental use of tobacco products was indicated by 60 percent of district 9th graders (57
percent statewide) and 64 percent of CISD 11th graders (62 percent statewide).

A quarter of Comal ISD students (24 percent) said they had used a tobacco product during the past
month. Past-month general tobacco use was reported by 12 percent of CISD 7th grade students (16
percent statewide), 27 percent of district 9th grade students (27 percent statewide), and 38 percent of
Comal 11th grade students (32 percent statewide).

Forty-eight percent of Comal students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their lifetimes,
while 23 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month, and 7 percent reported
smoking cigarettes on a daily basis. Daily cigarette use was reported by 2 percent of Comal ISD 7th
graders (2 percent statewide), 7 percent of district 9th graders (8 percent statewide), and 12 percent of
Comal 11th graders (13 percent statewide).

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Experimental use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 15 percent of CISD students, 5
percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month, and 1 percent reported
using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

Alcohol

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among students statewide and in the Comal ISD. As the
decade began, 81 percent of secondary students statewide reported experimental alcohol use. This
lifetime prevalence rate inched downward in 1992 (76 percent) and again in 1994 (74 percent), stayed
flat in 1996 (74 percent), and declined further in 1998 (72 percent). The rate of alcohol use in the past
month among secondary students statewide was 43 percent in 1990, dropped to 37 percent in 1992,
inched back upward to 39 percent in 1994, and has stayed relatively flat through 1996 and 1998 (38
percent).

Overall, Comal ISD students appear to have been drinking alcohol in 1999 at rates somewhat similar to
those reported by their peers statewide.

Environment. Thirty-five percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink
alcohol, and 77 percent said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to
obtain. CISD students were asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always. Thirty-nine
percent of district students responded that they obtain alcohol "at parties," 36 percent said they get it
"from friends," and 9 percent reported they get alcohol "from the store."

Parental attitudes can be a major factor in whether or not a student uses alcohol. When asked how their
parents feel about kids their age drinking beer, 83 percent of Comal students said their parents strongly
or mildly disapprove, 11 percent indicated their parents neither approve nor disapprove of such
behavior, and 3 percent reported they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking
beer.

Less than half of CISD students (41 percent) feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol.

Use. Just over two-thirds of Comal students (68 percent) reported consuming alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes. Lifetime alcohol use was indicated by 50 percent of CISD 7th graders (55
percent statewide), 75 percent of district 9th graders (74 percent statewide), and 86 percent of 11th
graders (81 percent statewide).

Just over a third of Comal ISD students (35 percent) said they had consumed alcohol during the past
month. Past-month alcohol use was reported by 19 percent of CISD 7th grade students (22 percent
statewide), 40 percent of district 9th grade students (39 percent statewide), and 52 percent of Comal
11th grade students (47 percent statewide).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Comal students are beer (57 percent) and wine

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coolers (61 percent). A third of CISD students (34 percent) said they drink beer on a weekly or
monthly basis, and 32 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly.

Behavior Associated With Use. "Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine
coolers, servings of wine, or drinks with liquor at one time. Thirty-five percent of Comal ISD students
reported "binge drinking" beer at least once during their lifetimes, while 16 percent said they usually
drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink. One-time "binge drinking" of wine
coolers was reported by 38 percent of CISD students, while 14 percent said they usually drink five or
more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink.

Eight percent of Comal students reported attending at least one class during the past school year while
"drunk." Attending class while intoxicated was indicated by 6 percent of CISD 7th graders (8 percent
statewide), 10 percent of district 9th graders (12 percent statewide), and 10 percent of Comal 11th
graders (11 percent statewide).

Twelve percent of CISD 9th and 11th grade students said that they had driven a car after having "a
good bit to drink" at least once during the past year. Driving while intoxicated was reported by 7
percent of Comal 9th graders (7 percent statewide) and 18 percent of CISD 11th graders (19 percent
statewide). Driving while intoxicated four or more times during the past year was reported by 3
percent of district 9th and 11th grade students.

Forty percent of Comal 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 11 percent of CISD 7th grade
students (12 percent/ statewide). Alcohol use at most or all parties was higher than that indicated by
their counterparts statewide among district 9th graders (49* percent/39 percent statewide) and 11th
graders (68* percent/55 percent statewide).

One percent of CISD students said they had gotten into trouble with their teacher because of alcohol
use at least once during the past school year, while 3 percent reported they had gotten in trouble with
the police because of their alcohol use during the past year, and 7 percent said they had "difficulties of
any kind" with friends because of one's own drinking.

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Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are defined as controlled substances and include marijuana, cocaine (powdered form and
crack), uppers (stimulants), downers (narcotics), Rohypnol, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and heroin.

In 1990, as part of a general downward trend in the use of these substances, a quarter of secondary
students statewide (25 percent) reported experimental use of an illegal drug and 10 percent said they
had used an illegal substance during the past month. This downward trend bottomed out in 1992, as 22
percent of secondary students reported lifetime use of any illicit substance and 8 percent indicated past-
month use. The use of marijuana by this student population closely paralleled this overall trend. As the
decade began, 23 percent of secondary students statewide reported that they had smoked marijuana at
least once and 8 percent indicated they had done so in the previous month. Two years later, as the
downward trend bottomed out, 20 percent of 7th through 12th graders said they had experimented with
marijuana at least once and 7 percent reported past-month use.

In 1994, however, these prevalence rates began to climb---most particularly with regard to past-month
use. Thus, 28 percent of this student population indicated use of an illegal drug at least once in their
lifetimes, while more recent use nearly doubled from that reported two years earlier---to 14 percent. By
1996, experimental use of illicit substances had climbed to 34 percent and 18 percent said they had used
such a substance in the previous month. In the most recent assessment, the lifetime use inched up to 36
percent, but the past-month use edged down to 15 percent. Again, marijuana use mirrors this these
trends. In 1994, 25 percent of secondary students statewide said they had experimented with marijuana
and 12 percent indicated they had done so in the last thirty days. Two years later, these prevalence rates
climbed up again, to 31 percent for lifetime use and 16 percent for past-month use. And, in 1998, well
over a third (35 percent) of this student population had smoked marijuana at least once, although more
recent use was slightly lower than that which had been reported during the previous assessment (15
percent).

Overall, the use of illicit drugs, and of marijuana in particular, among Comal ISD secondary students in
1999 appears to have been somewhat similar to that reported by their counterparts statewide.
However, it further appears that CISD students in grade 11 were smoking marijuana at rates somewhat
higher than those indicated by their perrs statewide.

Environment. Students were asked how available they believed certain substances were to obtain.
Forty-three percent of CISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain. Just over a
fifth of Comal students indicated that downers (23 percent), uppers (22 percent), or powdered cocaine
(21 percent) were easily accessible to them. Twelve percent of district students said they believed heroin
was somewhat or very easy to obtain.

With regard to the question of the effects of peer influence on substance use, 18 percent of CISD
students reported most or all of their close friends smoke marijuana. And when asked about parental

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attitudes toward marijuana use, Comal students reported a disapproval rate of 92 percent, while 4
percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove of such behavior, and 3 percent said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana.

Sixty-three percent of Comal students believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous." As for how
CISD students view risks associated with the use of certain other illicit substances, 73 percent of district
students feel that use of ecstasy is "very dangerous," 86 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is
"very dangerous," 89 percent feel that the use of crack is "very dangerous," and 91 percent believe that
heroin use is "very dangerous."

Use. In the Comal ISD, 31 percent of students reported experimental use of an illicit drug, and 29
percent of CISD students reported smoking marijuana at least once in their lifetimes. Lifetime
marijuana use was reported by 12 percent of Comal 7th graders (17 percent statewide), 32 percent of
district 9th graders (37 percent statewide), and 47 percent of Comal 11th graders (44 percent
statewide).

Past-month marijuana use was reported by 15 percent of Comal ISD students. Past-month marijuana
use was indicated by 4 percent of district 7th graders (7 percent statewide) and 17 percent of CISD 9th
graders (17 percent statewide). A quarter of Comal 11th grade students (26* percent) said they had
smoked marijuana during the previous month, a rate higher than that indicated by their peers statewide
(19 percent).

Other illicit substances are used by a smaller number of Comal ISD students. Nine percent of CISD
students said they had used powdered cocaine, 9 percent reported using uppers, 8 percent said they had
used hallucinogens, 7 percent reported using downers, 4 percent reported using ecstasy, 3 percent
reported using crack, 3 percent indicated they had used Rohypnol, 3 percent said they had used
steroids, and 2 percent indicated they had used heroin at least once during their lifetimes.

Behavior Associated with Use. Eleven percent of CISD students reported attending at least one class
in the past year while "stoned" on marijuana. Attending class while stoned ranged was reported by 6
percent of Comal 7th graders (8 percent statewide), 13 percent of district 9th graders (16 percent
statewide), and 15 percent of CISD 11th graders (14 percent statewide).

Driving under the influence of drugs at least once during the past year was reported by 11 percent of
Comal ISD 9th and 11th grade students. Driving under the influence of drugs was reported by 8
percent of CISD 9th graders (8 percent statewide) and 17 percent of Comal 11th graders (16 percent
statewide). Driving while stoned four or more times during the past year was reported by 1 percent of
district 9th and 11th graders.

Nearly a quarter of the Comal ISD students (23 percent) said that marijuana and/or other drugs were
used at most or all of the parties they attended during the school year. The use of marijuana and/or
other drugs at most or all parties was reported by 6 percent of district 7th graders (8 percent statewide),
28 percent of Comal 9th graders (24 percent statewide), and 38 percent of CISD 11th graders (32
percent statewide).

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Two percent of CISD students said they had gotten into trouble with their teacher because of illicit drug
use at least once during the past school year, while 2 percent reported they had gotten in trouble with
the police because of their use of illegal drugs during the past year, and 7 percent said they had gotten
into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends during the past year because of their own drug use.

Inhalants

In general, inhalants are common, licit substances (paints, thinners, correction fluid, glue, etc.) which,
when sniffed, huffed, or inhaled, produce an intoxicating effect. Lifetime and past-month inhalant use
percentages have been adjusted to reflect reported use of both specific inhalants and inhalant use
generally. This adjustment was made because some students responded positive to specific use without
responding positive to generic use, while some students responded positive to generic use but not
specific inhalants.

Experimental inhalant use among secondary students statewide reached a peak in 1992 (23 percent),
then dipped to 19 percent two years later, and stayed relatively flat through 1996 (20 percent). Past-
month use held steady at 5 percent throughout this period. A new trend may be emerging, however, as
lifetime use of inhalants inched back up to 22 percent in 1998 and 8 percent reported use of an inhalant
during the past month.

Overall, Comal ISD students were using inhalants in 1999 at rates somewhat similar to those reported
by their counterparts statewide.

Environment. Three percent of CISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants,
and 73 percent believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous."

Use. Twenty-two percent of Comal students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes. Lifetime inhalant use was indicated by 23 percent of district 7th grade students (25 percent
statewide), 22 percent of CISD 9th grade students (23 percent statewide), and 20 percent of 11th grade
students (18 percent statewide).

Eight percent of Comal ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past month. Past-month
inhalant use was reported by 9 percent of district 7th grade students (11 percent statewide), 8 percent
of CISD 9th grade students (8 percent statewide), and 6 percent of 11th grade students (5 percent
statewide).

Eleven percent of CISD students said they had used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances
during their lifetimes. The inhalant substances most frequently used by Comal students were those in
the "other inhalants" category (11 percent), correction fluid/whiteout (10 percent), liquid/spray paint (9
percent), nitrous oxide/laughing gas (7 percent), and paint thinner (6 percent). Five percent of district
students said they had inhaled glue, 5 percent reported inhaling gasoline, and 5 percent reported
inhaling substances in the "other sprays" category at least once during their lifetimes.

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Characteristics Associated With Drug Use

In the statewide survey, and with the notable exception of uppers, female students were somewhat less
likely to have used an illicit drug than were male students. In the Comal ISD, male students were
somewhat more likely to have used ecstasy and over two times more likely to have used steroids than
were district female students. There were no other significant differences by gender among CISD
students with regard to the use of tobacco products, alcohol, inhalants, marijuana, or other illicit
substances.

Drug and Alcohol Information

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use of
specific substances reported above. Nearly three-quarters of Comal ISD students (72 percent) said they
had gotten information about drugs and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall.
Fifty-six percent of district students reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health
class," while "an assembly program" was reported by 42 percent as a source for this information, and 33
percent said "an invited school guest" was a source for information about drugs and alcohol.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest percentage of
Comal students said they would seek help from their friends (80 percent). Sixty-three percent of CISD
students said they would seek help from an adult friend or relative, and 58 percent said they would turn
to their parents. District students are least likely to seek help for a drug or alcohol problem from
another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (29 percent), or a counselor or program in school
(31 percent).

Since school began in the Fall, 5 percent of Comal students reported seeking help for any problems
connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends.