TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

IREDELL ISD

SECONDARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OVERVIEW

In the Spring of 1996, 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 Iredell Independent School District (IISD). A total of 41 students
completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and drugs.
Of that number, 3 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 38.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

• Sixty-six percent of Iredell ISD students reported using tobacco at least once during
their lifetimes (Fig. 1), and 32 percent said they had used tobacco during the past
month (Fig. 2).

• Six percent of Iredell ISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while
5 percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

• Seventy-six percent of Iredell ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes (Fig. 1), and 41 percent reported using alcohol during the
past month (Fig. 2).

• Twenty-five percent of Iredell ISD 9th through 12th grade students said they had
driven a car at least once during the past year after having "a good bit to drink"
(Fig. 11).

• Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 18 percent of Iredell ISD students (Fig. 1),
while past-month inhalant use was reported by 5 percent (Fig. 2).

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."

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• Fourteen percent of Iredell ISD students reported using marijuana at least once
during their lifetimes (Fig. 1), and 10 percent said they had used marijuana during
the past month (Fig. 2).

• Iredell ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or alcohol
problem (80 percent) and least likely to seek help from a counselor or program in
school (28 percent) (Fig. 17).

Tobacco

Over the last two years, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless products)
among students statewide has increased slightly.2 Overall, the general use of tobacco products
among Iredell ISD students, especially with regard to the smokeless variety, is higher than that
reported by their counterparts statewide.

Sixty-six percent of Iredell students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 55 percent of students statewide (Fig. 1).3 Thirty-two percent of Iredell
ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past month (26 percent statewide)
(Fig. 2).

Sixty-four percent of Iredell students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes, a rate higher than that reported by students statewide (53 percent). Twenty-seven
percent of district students said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month (25 percent
statewide), while 6 percent reported smoking cigarettes on a daily basis (8 percent statewide),
and 24 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes (21 percent statewide).

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 32 percent of IISD students (16
percent statewide), while 17 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the
past month (5 percent statewide), rates considerably higher than those reported by students
statewide. Using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 5 percent of
district students (1 percent statewide), and 14 percent said most or all of their close friends use
smokeless tobacco (5 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported by students statewide.

Alcohol

2
Statewide data is collected every other year. The statewide data used for comparison
purposes in the district report and executive summary is taken from the results of the
survey administered in the Spring of 1996.

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

2
Alcohol is the most widely used substance among students statewide and in the Iredell ISD.
Alcohol use among secondary students statewide has decreased slightly from that reported two
years ago. Overall, Iredell ISD students are drinking alcohol at rates somewhat higher than those
reported by their peers statewide.

Seventy-six percent of Iredell students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes (74 percent statewide) (Fig. 1). Forty-one percent of Iredell ISD students said they had
consumed alcohol during the past month (38 percent statewide) (Fig. 2).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Iredell students are beer (76 percent/56 percent
statewide) and wine coolers (71 percent/58 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported
by students statewide. Thirty-seven percent of IISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or
monthly basis (33 percent statewide), and 36 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or
monthly (31 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-seven percent of Iredell ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during their lifetimes (37 percent statewide), while 28 percent said
they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink (19 percent
statewide); rates higher than those reported by their counterparts statewide. Lifetime "binge
drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 46 percent of IISD students (40 percent statewide),
while 23 percent said they usually drink five or more wine coolers at a time on average when
they drink (18 percent statewide).

Eight percent of Iredell students reported attending at least one class during the past school year
while "drunk" (9 percent statewide) (Fig. 9). Twenty-five percent of IISD 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, compared to 15 percent of students statewide. Driving while intoxicated
four or more times during the past year was reported by 6 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 Iredell ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor were
somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (75 percent statewide). Thirty-eight percent of district
students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol (37 percent statewide), and 31
percent responded "from friends" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or
always (39 percent statewide). "Difficulties of any kind" with friends because of one's own
drinking was reported by 11 percent of IISD students (9 percent statewide).

Sixty-one* percent of Iredell students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they
attended in the past school year, a rate higher than that reported by their peers statewide (37
percent) (Fig. 13).4 Thirty-four percent of district students responded "at parties" when asked

4
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

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where they obtain alcohol most of the time or always (43 percent statewide), while 9 percent of
IISD students said they get alcohol "from the store" most of the time or always (17 percent
statewide), rates lower than those reported by students 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, 68 percent of Iredell students said
their parents strongly or mildly disapprove, a rate somewhat lower than that reported by students
statewide (76 percent). Eight percent of district students said they "don't know" how their
parents feel about kids their age drinking beer (9 percent statewide). Twenty percent of IISD
students said their parents neither approve nor disapprove of kids their age drinking beer, twice
the rate reported by students statewide (10 percent) (Fig. 15).

Inhalants5

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 has stayed about the same. Overall, Iredell ISD
students are using inhalants at rates similar to those reported by their counterparts statewide.

Eighteen percent of Iredell students reported using inhalants at least once during their lifetimes
(20 percent statewide) (Fig. 1). Five percent of Iredell ISD students said they had used inhalants
during the past month (5 percent statewide) (Fig. 2).

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

The inhalant substances most frequently used by Iredell students were gasoline (10 percent/5
percent statewide) and correction fluid/Liquid Paper (9 percent/9 percent statewide). Five
percent of district students reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants" category (8
percent statewide), 4 percent reported inhaling glue (5 percent statewide), 3 percent said they
had inhaled substances in the "other sprays" category (4 percent statewide), 2 percent reported

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.

5
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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inhaling liquid/spray paint (7 percent statewide), and 2 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner
(5 percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes (Fig. 7).

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.

In the Iredell ISD, 22 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during their
lifetimes (34 percent statewide), while 16 percent of IISD students said they had used one or
more illicit substances three or more times (25 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 2.2 times in the past 30 days and 6.4 times during their lives.
Iredell students reported average usage rates of 1.7 times in the past month and 5.8 times during
their lifetimes.

Fourteen percent of IISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, less
than half the rate reported by students statewide (31 percent) (Fig. 1). Past-month marijuana use
was reported by 10 percent of Iredell ISD students (16 percent statewide) (Fig. 2).

Ten percent of IISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while "stoned"
on marijuana (13 percent statewide) (Fig. 10). Driving under the influence of drugs at least once
during the past year was reported by 10 percent of Iredell ISD 9th through 12th grade students
(12 percent statewide).

Forty-nine percent of IISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain (53
percent statewide). Six percent of Iredell students reported most or all of their close friends use
marijuana, a rate considerably lower than that reported by students statewide (21 percent). Eight
percent of district students said they had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends
because of their own drug use (6 percent statewide). Fourteen percent of the Iredell ISD
students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of the parties they
attended during the school year, a rate lower than that reported by their peers statewide (23
percent).

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Iredell students reported a
disapproval rate of 89 percent (85 percent statewide). Eleven percent of district students said
they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (8 percent
statewide), while none of the students said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (4
percent statewide) (Fig. 15).

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Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Iredell ISD students. Twelve percent of
IISD students reported using uppers (8 percent statewide), 8 percent said they had used
hallucinogens (8 percent statewide), 4 percent reported using crack (3 percent statewide), 4
percent said they had used powdered cocaine (7 percent statewide), 3 percent reported using
ecstasy (5 percent statewide), and 2 percent said they had used downers (6 percent statewide) at
least once during their lifetimes. None of the district students reported ever using steroids (2
percent statewide) (Fig. 1).

CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were somewhat less likely to have used drugs than were male
students. In the Iredell ISD, male students were nearly twice as likely to have used inhalants and
over two times more likely to have smoked marijuana than were district female students. In
addition, IISD male students were the only reported users of downers in the district. On the
other hand, district female students were over two times more likely to have used uppers and
over three times more likely to have used hallucinogens than were male students. Further, Iredell
female students were the only reported users of ecstasy in the district. There were no other
significant differences by gender among IISD students with regard to the use of tobacco
products, alcohol, powdered cocaine, or crack.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest percentage
of Iredell students said they would seek help from their friends (80 percent/74 percent statewide),
while 66 percent said they would seek help from an adult friend or relative (58 percent
statewide), rates somewhat higher than those reported by students statewide. Fifty-five percent
of IISD students 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 (28 percent/35 percent
statewide) (Fig. 17). Since school began in the Fall, none of the Iredell students reported seeking
help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or
friends (7 percent statewide).

Seventy-seven percent of Iredell ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs and
alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall (75 percent statewide). Fifty-three
percent of IISD students reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health
class" (46 percent statewide). "An assembly program" was reported by 34 percent of district
students as a source for information about drugs and alcohol (44 percent statewide), while 28
percent said "an invited school guest" was a source for this information (38 percent statewide),
rates lower than those reported by their peers statewide.

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-seven percent of Iredell students believe that crack use is "very
dangerous" (88 percent statewide), and 95 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is "very
dangerous" (87 percent statewide), rates somewhat higher than those reported by students
statewide. Eighty-eight percent of IISD students believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous"
(70 percent statewide), and 74 percent believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous" (60 percent

6
statewide), rates higher than those reported by their counterparts statewide. By contrast, the
perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Forty-five percent of IISD students feel
that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol (44 percent statewide). Nineteen percent of Iredell ISD
students believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous," compared to 39 percent of students
statewide (Fig. 13).