TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

FORNEY 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 through 12 in the Forney Independent School District (FISD). A total of
502 students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol
and drugs. Of that number, 32 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 470.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Fifty-seven percent of Forney ISD students reported using tobacco at least once during
their lifetimes (Fig. 1), and 27 percent said they had used tobacco during the past
month (Fig. 2).

•Seven percent of FISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while 5*
percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.2

•Seventy-one percent of Forney ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes (Fig. 1), and 40 percent reported using alcohol during the
past month (Fig. 2).

•Seven percent of FISD students reported attending at least one class during the past
year while "drunk," and 22 percent of district 9th through 12th grade students

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 and in the corresponding
figures. Figures referenced throughout this report are included in "Part III: Executive Summary."

2 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 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.

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 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 21 percent of district students (Fig. 1), while
past-month inhalant use was reported by 5 percent (Fig. 2).

•Eleven* percent of FISD students reported using marijuana at least once during their
lifetimes (Fig. 1), and 3* percent said they had used marijuana during the past
month (Fig. 2).

•Forney ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or alcohol
problem (82* percent) and least likely to consult a counselor or program at
school (25 percent) (Fig. 17).

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 Forney ISD students is similar to that reported by their counterparts
statewide.

Fifty-seven percent of Forney students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes (55 percent statewide) (Fig. 1).3 Twenty-seven percent of Forney ISD students said
they had used a tobacco product during the past month (22 percent statewide) (Fig. 2).

Fifty-two percent of Forney students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes (52 percent statewide), and 23 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past
month (24 percent statewide). Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 7 percent of
district students (7 percent statewide), while 18 percent said most or all of their close friends
smoke cigarettes (19 percent statewide).

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 27* percent of FISD students (17
percent statewide), while 10* percent 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 5* percent of district students (2 percent statewide), and 11* percent said most or all
of their close friends use smokeless tobacco (5 percent statewide), rates higher than those
reported by their counterparts statewide.

Alcohol

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

3 Due to the small number of students surveyed in this district, no between-grade comparisons can be made.

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Overall, Forney ISD students are drinking alcohol at rates similar to those reported by their
peers statewide.

Seventy-one percent of Forney students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes (74 percent statewide) (Fig. 1). Forty percent of Forney ISD students said they had
consumed alcohol during the past month (39 percent statewide) (Fig. 2).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Forney students are beer (62 percent/59
percent statewide) and wine coolers (59 percent/61 percent statewide). Forty-two percent of
FISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (37 percent statewide), and 37
percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (34 percent statewide).

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Forty-four percent of Forney ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during the past year (39 percent statewide), while 27* percent said
they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink (20 percent
statewide). Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 42 percent of FISD
students (41 percent statewide), while 20 percent said they usually drink five or more wine
coolers at a time on average when they drink (19 percent statewide).

Seven percent of Forney students reported attending at least one class during the past school
year while "drunk" (10 percent statewide) (Fig. 9). Twenty-two* percent of FISD 9th through
12th grade students said that they had driven a car after having "a good bit to drink" at least
once during the past year, a rate higher than that reported by their peers statewide (15 percent).
Driving while intoxicated four or more times during the past year was reported by 5 percent of
district 9th through 12th graders (4 percent statewide) (Fig. 11).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Eighty-one percent of Forney ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor
were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (77 percent statewide). Forty-two percent of district
students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol (40 percent statewide), and 40
percent responded "from friends" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or
always (40 percent statewide). "Difficulties of any kind" with friends because of one's own
drinking was reported by 13 percent of FISD students (10 percent statewide).

Forty-two percent of Forney students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they
attended in the past school year (39 percent statewide) (Fig. 12). Forty-two percent of district
students responded "at parties" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or
always (44 percent statewide), while 23 percent of FISD students said they get alcohol "from
the store" most of the time or always (21 percent statewide).

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 FISD students who had not been absent since the Fall
reported having used alcohol during the past month (33 percent/26 percent statewide) than did

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district students who said they had missed four or more days of school (47 percent/47 percent
statewide). Sixty-one 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 (65 percent
statewide). By contrast, 29 percent of district students who had not experienced difficulties
with school officials because of conduct problems had used alcohol within the past 30 days (26
percent statewide).

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, 77 percent of Forney students
said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (75 percent statewide). Five* percent of district
students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer (10
percent statewide), and 14 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (11 percent
statewide) (Fig. 15).

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, Forney ISD students are using
inhalants at rates similar to those reported by their counterparts statewide.

Twenty-one percent of Forney students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes (19 percent statewide) (Fig. 1). Five percent of Forney ISD students said they had
used inhalants during the past month (5 percent statewide) (Fig. 2).

Two percent of FISD 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 (3 percent statewide). Ten percent of FISD 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 Forney students was correction fluid/Liquid
Paper (9 percent/10 percent statewide). Seven percent of FISD students reported inhaling
gasoline (6 percent statewide), 7 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants"
category (8 percent statewide), 6 percent said they had inhaled liquid/spray paint (7 percent
statewide), and 6 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner (6 percent statewide) at least once
during their lifetimes (Fig. 7).

Illicit Drugs

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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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 Forney ISD, 15* percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during their
lifetimes (28 percent statewide), while 9* percent of FISD students said they had used one or
more illicit substances three or more times (19 percent statewide), rates lower than those
reported by their counterparts statewide. Statewide, students who said they had used illicit
drugs reported using them an average of 1.4 times in the past 30 days and 4.2 times during their
lives. Forney students reported average usage rates of 0.4 times in the past month and 1.7 times
during their lifetimes.

Eleven* percent of FISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes,
compared to 25 percent of students statewide (Fig. 1). Past-month marijuana use was reported
by 3* percent of Forney ISD students, a rate lower than that reported by their peers statewide
(12 percent). (Fig. 2).

Three* percent of FISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana (9 percent statewide) (Fig. 10). Driving under the influence of drugs at
least once during the past year was reported by 5 percent of Forney ISD 9th through 12th grade
students (8 percent statewide).

Thirty-six* percent of FISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain (38
percent statewide), and 5* percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (17
percent 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 Forney ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of the
parties they attended during the school year (17 percent statewide).

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Forney students reported a
disapproval rate of 92* percent (87 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) (Fig. 17).

Uppers are the next most frequently used illicit substance among Forney ISD students (8
percent/7 percent statewide). Six percent of FISD students reported using downers (5 percent
statewide), 5 percent reported using hallucinogens (6 percent statewide), 3 percent said they had
used steroids (2 percent statewide), 2* percent said they had used powdered cocaine (5 percent
statewide), and 2 percent reported using crack (2 percent statewide) at least once during their
lifetimes (Fig. 1).

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CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Forney ISD, female students were nearly twice as likely to report marijuana use than were
district male students. There were no other significant differences by gender among FISD
students with regard to tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, powdered cocaine, crack, hallucinogens,
uppers, downers, steroids, or ecstasy use.

In the statewide survey, students living in two-parent homes reported lower drug use than did
students living in other family situations. FISD students living in other family situations were
somewhat more likely to report marijuana use than were those district students living in homes
with two parents. There were no other significant differences by living arrangement among
Forney ISD students with regard to tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, powdered cocaine, crack,
hallucinogens, uppers, downers, steroids, or ecstasy use.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Forney students said they would seek help from their friends (82* percent/74
percent statewide). Sixty-one percent of FISD students said they would seek help from an adult
friend or relative (57 percent statewide), and 54 percent said they would turn to their parents (54
percent statewide). District students are least likely to seek help from a counselor or program in
school (25* percent/35 percent statewide) (Fig. 17). Since school began in the Fall, 7 percent of
Forney students reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use
from someone other than family or friends (7 percent statewide).

Eighty-seven* percent of Forney ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs and
alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall (79 percent statewide). "An
assembly program" was reported by 71* percent of district students as a source for this
information (53 percent statewide), while 65* percent said "an invited school guest" was a
source for information about drugs and alcohol (46 percent statewide). Fifty-four* percent of
FISD students reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class" (46
percent statewide).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Eighty-eight percent of Forney students believe that powdered cocaine
use is "very dangerous" (90 percent statewide), and 87 percent believe that crack use is "very
dangerous" (91 percent statewide). Seventy-four percent of FISD students believe that
marijuana use is "very dangerous" (67 percent statewide), and 73 percent believe that inhalant
use is "very dangerous" (77 percent statewide). By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol
and tobacco use is lower. Only 43 percent of FISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to
use alcohol (46 percent statewide), while 32* percent believe that tobacco use is "very
dangerous" (41 percent statewide) (Fig. 13).