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TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

FORT WORTH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

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 grade 9 in the Fort Worth Christian School (FWCS). A total of 51 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 49.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Forty-seven percent of Fort Worth Christian School students reported using tobacco at
least once during their lifetimes, and 22 percent said they had used tobacco
during the past month.

•None of the FWCS students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while 3 percent
reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Sixty-five percent of Fort Worth Christian students said they had used alcohol at least
once during their lifetimes, and 22 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

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

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 10 percent of FWCS students, while none of
the FWCS students reported using inhalants in the past month.

•Six percent of FWCS 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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•Fort Worth Christian School 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 (24 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. Forty-seven percent of Fort
Worth Christian School 9th grade students reported general tobacco use at least once during
their lifetimes, a rate lower than that reported by their 9th grade peers statewide (57 percent).
Twenty-two percent of Fort Worth Christian students said they had used a tobacco product
during the past month (26 percent statewide).

Forty-two percent of Fort Worth Christian School students reported smoking cigarettes at least
once during their lifetimes (55 percent statewide), and 16 percent said they had smoked
cigarettes during the past month (24 percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by 9th
graders statewide. None of the FWCS students reported smoking cigarettes on a daily basis (7
percent statewide), while 6 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.2

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 27 percent of FWCS students (16
percent statewide), while 15 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the
past month (6 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported by their peers statewide.
Using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 3 percent of FWCS
students (1 percent statewide), and 11 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 Fort Worth
Christian School. Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that reported
two years ago. Overall, Fort Worth Christian School 9th grade students are drinking alcohol at
rates lower than those reported by their peers statewide.

Sixty-five percent of Fort Worth Christian students reported consuming alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, compared to 76 percent of 9th graders statewide. Eighteen percent of
Fort Worth Christian students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month, a rate
lower than that reported by their counterparts statewide (41 percent).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Fort Worth Christian School students are beer
(55 percent/61 percent statewide) and wine coolers (51 percent/61 percent statewide). Eleven

2
Because a non-standard grade combination was surveyed in this district, some statewide data are
unavailable for comparisons throughout this summary.

2
percent of FWCS students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (40 percent
statewide), and 15 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (36 percent
statewide), rates lower than those reported by 9th graders statewide.

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Twenty-four percent of Fort Worth Christian students reported
"binge drinking" beer at least once during the past year (41 percent statewide), while 8 percent
said they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink (21 percent
statewide). Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 21 percent of FWCS
students (43 percent statewide), while 9 percent said they usually drink five or more wine
coolers at a time on average when they drink (21 percent statewide).

Two percent of Fort Worth Christian students reported attending at least one class during the
past school year while "drunk" (10 percent statewide). Seven percent of FWCS students
reported driving a car after having "a good bit to drink" at least once during the past year (9
percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Eighty-three percent of Fort Worth Christian students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or
liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (77 percent statewide). Fifteen percent of
FWCS students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, compared to 40 percent
of students statewide. Twenty-eight percent of FWCS 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 11 percent of FWCS students (9 percent
statewide).

Twenty percent of Fort Worth Christian School 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 (39 percent). Twenty-one percent of FWCS students responded "at parties"
when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always, while 5 percent of FWCS
students said they get alcohol "from the store" most of the time or always.

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, 83 percent of Fort Worth
Christian students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (75 percent statewide). Six
percent of FWCS students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age
drinking beer (10 percent statewide), and 4 percent said their parents neither approve nor
disapprove (11 percent statewide).

Inhalants3

3
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.

3
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, Fort Worth Christian School 9th
grade students are using inhalants at rates somewhat lower than those reported by their
counterparts statewide.

Ten percent of Fort Worth Christian students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes (19 percent statewide). None of the Fort Worth Christian students said they had used
inhalants during the past month (5 percent statewide).

Three percent of FWCS students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (3
percent statewide), and none of the FWCS students said they had attended class during the past
school year while "high" on inhalants (3 percent statewide). Six percent of FWCS students said
they had used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes (12
percent statewide).

Six percent of Fort Worth Christian students reported inhaling correction fluid/Liquid Paper (10
percent statewide), 6 percent said they had used substances in the "other inhalants" category (8
percent statewide), 6 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner (6 percent statewide), and 4
percent reported inhaling gasoline (6 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.

In the Fort Worth Christian School, 10 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least
once during their lifetimes (30 percent statewide), while 6 percent of FWCS students said they
had used one or more illicit substances three or more times (21 percent statewide), rates lower
than those reported by 9th grade students statewide. Fort Worth Christian students reported
average usage rates of 0 times in the past month and 0.7 times during their lifetimes.

Six percent of FWCS students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
lower than that reported by their 9th grade peers statewide (28 percent). None of the FWCS
students reported using marijuana in the past month, compared to 14 percent of students
statewide.

None of FWCS students reported attending at least one class in the past year while "stoned" on
marijuana (12 percent statewide). Two percent of Fort Worth Christian School students said
they had driven a car when they felt "high" from drug use (6 percent statewide).

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Twenty-five percent of FWCS students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain (52
percent statewide), and 3 percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (21
percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by 9th graders statewide. Four percent of
FWCS 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 the Fort Worth Christian 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 19 percent
of 9th grade students statewide.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Fort Worth Christian students
reported a disapproval rate of 98 percent (86 percent statewide). None of FWCS students said
they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (8 percent
statewide), and none of the students said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (4 percent
statewide).

Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Fort Worth Christian School students.
Four percent of FWCS students said they had used steroids (2 percent statewide), 2 percent
reported using uppers (8 percent statewide), 2 percent said they had used hallucinogens (6
percent statewide), 2 percent said they had used powdered cocaine (6 percent statewide), and 2
percent reported using ecstasy (2 percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes. None of
the FWCS students reported ever using downers (5 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
Fort Worth Christian School, male students were somewhat more likely to have used a tobacco
product than were FWCS female students, and male students were the only reported users of
marijuana, steroids, or ecstasy. On the other hand, FWCS female students were the only
reported users of hallucinogens or uppers in the district. There were no other significant
differences by gender among FWCS students with regard to the use of alcohol products,
inhalants, or powdered cocaine.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Fort Worth Christian students said they would seek help from their friends (80
percent/74 percent statewide). Sixty percent of FWCS students said they would seek help from
an adult friend or relative (58 percent statewide), and 57 percent said they would turn to their
parents (51 percent statewide). FWCS students are least likely to seek help from a counselor or
program in school (24 percent/36 percent statewide), another adult in school, such as a teacher
or nurse (26 percent/33 percent statewide), or a medical doctor (26 percent/37 percent
statewide). Since school began in the Fall, 2 percent of Fort Worth Christian students reported

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seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than
family or friends (7 percent statewide).

Ninety-six percent of Fort Worth Christian School students said they had gotten information
about drugs and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 80
percent of 9th graders statewide. Eighty-nine percent of FWCS students reported getting
information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class" (45 percent statewide), while 63
percent reported "an assembly program" as a source for this information (53 percent statewide).
Sixty-three percent of FWCS students said "an invited school guest" was a source for
information about drugs and alcohol (45 percent statewide)

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Eighty-seven percent of Fort Worth Christian students believe that crack
use is "very dangerous" (90 percent statewide), and 88 percent believe that powdered cocaine
use is "very dangerous" (88 percent statewide). Seventy-four percent of FWCS students believe
that inhalant use is "very dangerous" (76 percent statewide). Seventy-seven percent of FWCS
students believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous," compared to 63 percent of students
statewide. By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only 54
percent of FWCS students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol, a rate higher than that
reported by their counterparts statewide (42 percent). Twenty-four percent of Fort Worth
Christian School students believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous," a rate lower than that
reported by their 9th grade counterparts statewide (38 percent).

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