TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

ANDERSON-SHIRO CONSOLIDATED 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 8 in the Anderson-Shiro Consolidated Independent School District
(ASCISD). A total of 62 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 60.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Fifty-three percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students reported using

tobacco at least once during their lifetimes, and 12 percent said they had used
tobacco during the past month.

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

•Seventy-three percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students said they had used
alcohol at least once during their lifetimes, and 27 percent reported using alcohol
during the past month.

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

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 10 percent of district students, while none of
the students reported past-month inhalant use.

•Two percent of ASCISD students reported using marijuana at least once during their
lifetimes, and none of the students 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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•Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help
with a drug or alcohol problem (77 percent) and least likely to consult a medical
doctor (37 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. Fifty-three percent of
Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by 7th and 8th grade students statewide (46
percent).2 Twelve percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students said they had used a
tobacco product during the past month, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by their
counterparts statewide (20 percent).

Forty-nine percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported smoking cigarettes at

least once during their lifetimes (44 percent statewide). Ten percent of ASCISD students said
they had smoked cigarettes during the past month, compared to 18 percent of their peers
statewide. Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 6 percent of district students (4
percent statewide), while 6 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.3

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 24 percent of ASCISD students, a
rate higher than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (13 percent). Three percent of
Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during
the past month (4 percent statewide). None of the district students reported using a smokeless
tobacco product on a daily basis (1 percent statewide), and 2 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 Anderson-Shiro
Consolidated ISD. Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that
reported two years ago.

Seventy-three percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported consuming alcohol at

least once during their lifetimes, a rate higher than that reported by their 7th and 8th grade peers
statewide (63 percent). Twenty-seven percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students
said they had consumed alcohol during the past month (29 percent statewide).

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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The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students are
wine coolers (66 percent/47 percent statewide) and beer (61 percent/47 percent statewide), rates
higher than those reported by 7th and 8th grade students statewide. Twenty-seven percent of
ASCISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (27 percent statewide), and
23 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (26 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 49
percent of ASCISD students (30 percent statewide), while 10 percent said they usually drink
five or more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink (15 percent statewide). Thirty-
six percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students reported "binge drinking" beer at least
once during the past-year (29 percent statewide), while 10 percent said they usually drink five
or more beers at a time on average when they drink (14 percent statewide).

Three percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported attending at least one class
during the past school year while "drunk," a rate somewhat lower than that reported by their
peers statewide (9 percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Fifty-five percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students said beer, wine, wine
coolers, or liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain, compared to 64 percent of
students statewide. Eleven percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends
drink alcohol, a rate lower than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (24 percent).
Fourteen percent of ASCISD 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 3 percent of ASCISD students (7 percent statewide).

Nine percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated 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
counterparts statewide (19 percent). Twenty percent of district students responded "at parties"
when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always, while 9 percent of
ASCISD 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 ASCISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (22 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (32 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 25 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, 78 percent of Anderson-Shiro

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Consolidated 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 13 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, Anderson-Shiro Consolidated
ISD students are using inhalants at rates somewhat lower than those reported by their
counterparts statewide.

Ten percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported using inhalants at least once
during their lifetimes, a rate lower than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (22
percent). Less than 1 percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students said they had used
inhalants during the past month, compared to 7 percent of students statewide.

Two percent of ASCISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (4
percent statewide), and 2 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school
year while "high" on inhalants (6 percent statewide). Three percent of ASCISD students said
they had used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes, a rate
lower than that reported by their peers statewide (14 percent).

The inhalant substance most frequently used by Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students was
correction fluid/Liquid Paper (7 percent/10 percent statewide). Five percent of district students
said they had inhaled glue (7 percent statewide), 5 percent said they had inhaled liquid/spray
paint (8 percent statewide), and 3 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner (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.

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.

4
In the Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD, 3 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at
least once during their lifetimes (19 percent statewide), while 2 percent of ASCISD students
said they had used one or more illicit substances three or more times (12 percent statewide),
rates lower than those reported by their counterparts statewide. Statewide students who said
they had used illicit drugs reported using them and average of 0.9 times in the past 30 days and
2.2 times during their lives. Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported average usage rates
of 0 times in the past month and 0.5 times during their lifetimes.

Two percent of ASCISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
lower than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (17 percent). None of the Anderson-
Shiro Consolidated students reported past-month marijuana use, compared to 8 percent of their
peers statewide.

None of the ASCISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana (7 percent statewide), and none of the students reported most or all of
their close friends use marijuana (12 percent statewide). Nine percent of ASCISD students said
marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, a rate lower than that reported by 7th and 8th
grade students statewide (21 percent). Two 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).
Two percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated 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 peers statewide.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Anderson-Shiro Consolidated
students reported a disapproval rate of 93 percent, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by
7th and 8th graders statewide (84 percent). Four percent of district students said they "don't
know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (11 percent statewide), while
4 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (3 percent statewide).

Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD
students. Three percent of ASCISD students reported using uppers (4 percent statewide), 3
percent reported using downers (3 percent statewide), 2 percent said they had used
hallucinogens (3 percent statewide), 2 percent said they had used steroids (2 percent statewide),
and 2 percent reported using ecstasy (1 percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes.
None of the district students reported ever using powdered cocaine (3 percent statewide) or
crack (2 percent statewide).

CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD, however, female students were the only reported users of
marijuana, hallucinogens, uppers, downers, steroids, or ecstasy. There were no other significant

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differences by gender among ASCISD students with regard to the use of tobacco, alcohol, or
inhalants.

Statewide, students making A and B grades reported lower drug use than did students making
C, D, and F grades. In the Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD, students reporting lower grades
were somewhat more likely to have used tobacco and over two times more likely to have used
inhalants than were those students making A and B grades. ASCISD students making C, D, and
F grades were also the only reported users of marijuana. On the other hand, those district
students making A and B grades were the only reported users of hallucinogens, steroids, or
ecstasy. There were no other significant differences by grade average among ASCISD students
with regard to the use of alcohol, uppers, or downers.

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

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students said they would seek help from their
friends (77 percent), a rate somewhat higher than that reported by 7th and 8th grade students
statewide (68 percent). Seventy-one percent of ASCISD students said they would turn to their
parents, a rate higher than that reported by their peers statewide (58 percent). Sixty-three
percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students said they would seek help from an adult
friend or relative, compared to 56 percent of students statewide. District students are least
likely to seek help from a medical doctor (37 percent/41 percent statewide). Since school began
in the Fall, 2 percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated students reported seeking help for any
problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends (8
percent statewide).

Ninety percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated 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 their counterparts statewide. "An assembly program" was reported by 83 percent of
district students as a source for information about drugs and alcohol (56 percent statewide),
while 81 percent said "an invited school guest" was a source for this information (49 percent
statewide). Fifty-nine percent of ASCISD students reported getting information about drugs
and alcohol from a "health class" (47 percent statewide).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-seven percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated 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 their
peers statewide. Ninety-one percent of ASCISD students believe that inhalant use is "very

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dangerous" (75 percent statewide), and 90 percent believe that marijuana use is "very
dangerous" (76 percent statewide), rates also higher than those reported by 7th and 8th graders
statewide. By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only 49
percent of ASCISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol (50 percent
statewide). Sixty percent of Anderson-Shiro Consolidated ISD students believe that tobacco
use is "very dangerous," a rate higher than that reported by their 7th and 8th grade counterparts
statewide (49 percent).