TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

AUBREY 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 grade 9 in the Aubrey Independent School District (AISD). A total of 60 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 57.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Seventy percent of Aubrey ISD students reported using tobacco at least once during
their lifetimes, and 42 percent said they had used tobacco during the past month.

•Four percent of Aubrey ISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while 9
percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Seventy-two percent of Aubrey ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, and 28 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•Two percent of Aubrey ISD 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 18 percent of Aubrey ISD students, while
past-month inhalant use was reported by 5 percent.

•Twelve percent of Aubrey ISD students reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetimes, and 4 percent said they had used marijuana during the past month.

•Aubrey ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or alcohol
problem (80 percent) and least likely to consult a counselor or program in school
(19 percent).

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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Tobacco

Over the last two years, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless products)
among 9th grade students statewide has stayed about the same.2 Overall, the general use of
tobacco products among Aubrey ISD 9th grade students, especially with regard to the smokeless
variety, is higher than that reported by their counterparts statewide.

Seventy percent of Aubrey students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 58 percent of 9th grade students statewide. Forty-two percent of Aubrey
ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past month, a rate higher than that
reported by 9th grade students statewide (28 percent).

Sixty-five percent of Aubrey students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by their peers statewide (56 percent). Thirty
percent of AISD students said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month (26 percent
statewide), and 4 percent reported smoking cigarettes on a daily basis (9 percent statewide).
Eighteen percent of district students said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.3

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 33 percent of AISD students (16
percent statewide), while 25 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the
past month (5 percent statewide), and 9 percent reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a
daily basis (1 percent statewide), rates considerably higher than those reported by 9th grade
students statewide. Fourteen percent of district students 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 Aubrey ISD.
Alcohol use among 9th grade students statewide was similar to that reported two years ago.
Overall, Aubrey ISD 9th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates somewhat lower than those
reported by their peers statewide.

Seventy-two percent of Aubrey students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes (76 percent statewide). Twenty-eight percent of Aubrey ISD students said they had
consumed alcohol during the past month, compared to 38 percent of 9th grade students
statewide.

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
Because a non-standard grade combination was surveyed in this district, some statewide data are unavailable
for comparisons throughout this summary.

2
The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Aubrey students are beer (56 percent/58
percent statewide) and wine coolers (58 percent/60 percent statewide). Twenty-nine percent of
AISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (34 percent statewide), and 25
percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (33 percent statewide), rates somewhat
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-nine percent of Aubrey ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during their lifetimes (39 percent statewide), while 23 percent said
they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink (19 percent
statewide). Lifetime "binge drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 39 percent of AISD
students (42 percent statewide), while 15 percent said they usually drink five or more wine
coolers at a time on average when they drink (20 percent statewide).

Seven percent of Aubrey students reported attending at least one class during the past school
year while "drunk" (10 percent statewide). Two percent of AISD students said that they had
driven a car after having "a good bit to drink" at least once during the past year (8 percent
statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at parties.
Seventy-three percent of Aubrey ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor were
somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (78 percent statewide). Twenty-three percent of district
students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, a rate lower than that reported
by their counterparts statewide (39 percent). Twenty-eight percent of AISD students responded
"from friends" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always, while 6
percent reported "difficulties of any kind" with friends because of one's own drinking (10 percent
statewide).

Twenty-seven percent of Aubrey 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 9th grade students statewide
(37 percent). Thirty-eight percent of district students responded "at parties" when asked where
they obtain alcohol most of the time or always, while 9 percent of AISD 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 AISD 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 (36 percent). Thirty-six percent of the Aubrey
students who had experienced difficulties with school officials on four or more days reported
using alcohol during the past 30 days. By contrast, 26 percent of district students who had not
experienced difficulties with school officials because of conduct problems had used alcohol within
the past 30 days.

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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, 66 percent of Aubrey students
said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove, in contrast to the 76 percent reported by 9th
grade students statewide. Thirteen percent of district students said they "don't know" how their
parents feel about kids their age drinking beer (10 percent statewide), and 11 percent said their
parents neither approve nor disapprove (10 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 9th grade students statewide stayed about the same. Overall, Aubrey ISD
9th grade students are using inhalants at rates similar to those reported by their counterparts
statewide.

Eighteen percent of Aubrey students reported using inhalants at least once during their lifetimes
(21 percent statewide). Five percent of Aubrey ISD students said they had used inhalants during
the past month (5 percent statewide).

Two percent of AISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (3 percent
statewide), and 5 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school year
while "high" on inhalants (4 percent statewide). Nine percent of AISD students said they had
used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes (13 percent
statewide).

The inhalant substance most frequently used by Aubrey students was correction fluid/Liquid
Paper (11 percent/10 percent statewide). Seven percent of district students reported inhaling
gasoline (6 percent statewide), 7 percent said they had inhaled liquid/spray paint (8 percent
statewide), and 6 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants" category (9
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 9th grade students statewide has increased. The use of

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
marijuana, the most frequently used illicit substance, has also increased among 9th grade students
statewide over the last two years.

In the Aubrey ISD, 18 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during their
lifetimes (37 percent statewide), while 16 percent of AISD students said they had used one or
more illicit substances three or more times (28 percent statewide), rates lower than those
reported by 9th grade students statewide. Statewide, students who said they had used illicit
drugs reported using them an average of 2.7 times in the past 30 days and 8.2 times during their
lives. Aubrey students reported average usage rates of 0.4 times in the past month and 3.7 times
during their lifetimes.

Twelve percent of AISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a third
of the rate reported by their counterparts statewide (35 percent). Past-month marijuana use was
reported by 4 percent of Aubrey ISD students, compared to 19 percent of 9th grade students
statewide.

Two percent of AISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana, a rate lower than that reported by their peers statewide (16 percent).
None of the Aubrey ISD students reported driving under the influence of drugs during the past
year (7 percent statewide).

Thirty-three percent of AISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain (57
percent statewide), and 6 percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (26
percent statewide), rates considerably lower than those reported by 9th grade students statewide.
Four percent of district students said they had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their
friends because of their own drug use (8 percent statewide). Sixteen percent of the Aubrey ISD
students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of the parties they
attended during the school year, in contrast to the 25 percent reported by their counterparts
statewide.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Aubrey students reported a
disapproval rate of 80 percent (84 percent statewide). Thirteen percent of district students said
they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (9 percent
statewide), while 2 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (5 percent
statewide).

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

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CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

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

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest percentage
of Aubrey students said they would seek help from their friends (80 percent/74 percent
statewide). Forty-nine percent of AISD students said they would seek help from an adult friend
or relative (58 percent statewide), and 42 percent said they would turn to their parents (52
percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by 9th grade students statewide. District
students are least likely to seek help from a counselor or program in school (19 percent), nearly
half the rate reported by their peers statewide (34 percent). Since school began in the Fall, 7
percent of Aubrey students reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or
drug use from someone other than family or friends (8 percent statewide).

Forty-nine percent of Aubrey ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs and
alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 78 percent of 9th grade
students statewide. "An assembly program" was reported by 26 percent of district students as a
source for information about drugs and alcohol (42 percent statewide), while 22 percent reported
getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class" (56 percent statewide), and 16
percent said "an invited school guest" was a source for this information (36 percent statewide),
rates considerably lower than those reported by their counterparts statewide.

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Seventy-seven percent of Aubrey students believe that crack use is "very
dangerous" (87 percent statewide), 78 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is "very
dangerous" (85 percent statewide), and 64 percent believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous"
(73 percent statewide), rates somewhat lower than those reported by 9th grade students
statewide. Fifty-seven percent of AISD students believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous"
(56 percent statewide). By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower.
Thirty-eight percent of AISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol (41 percent
statewide). Only 24 percent of Aubrey ISD students believe that tobacco use is "very
dangerous," a rate lower than that reported by their 9th grade peers statewide (37 percent).