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TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

ARGYLE ISD

SECONDARY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OVERVIEW

In the Spring of 1995, 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 8 in the Argyle Independent School District (AISD). A total of 51 students
completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and drugs.
Of that number, 1 survey was excluded from analysis because the student did not indicate a
grade or an age, or because the student was identified as an exaggerator (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 50.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Thirty-nine percent of Argyle ISD students reported using tobacco at least once during
their lifetimes, and 22 percent said they had used tobacco during the past month.

•Four percent of Argyle ISD students said they smoke cigarettes on a daily basis, while
none reported using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

•Forty-one percent of Argyle ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, and 14 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

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

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 16 percent of district students, while


past-month inhalant use was reported by 4 percent.

•Sixteen percent of Argyle ISD students reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetimes, and 12 percent said they had used marijuana during the past
month.

•Argyle ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or alcohol
problem (84 percent) and least likely to consult a another adult in school, such as
a teacher or nurse (39 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.

1
Tobacco

Between 1992 and 1994, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless
products) among students statewide stayed much the same. 2 Overall, the general use of tobacco
products among Argyle ISD 8th grade students is somewhat lower than that reported by their
8th grade counterparts statewide.

Thirty-nine percent of Argyle students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 52 percent of 8th grade students statewide. Twenty-two percent of
Argyle ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past month (23 percent
statewide).

Thirty-nine percent of Argyle students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes, a rate lower than that reported by 8th grade students statewide (50 percent). Twenty-
two percent of district students said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month (22
percent statewide). Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 4 percent of district
students (5 percent statewide), while 18 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke
cigarettes.3

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 15 percent of AISD students (16
percent statewide), while 2 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the
past month (5 percent statewide). None of the district students reporting using a smokeless
tobacco product on a daily basis (1 percent statewide), but 4 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 Argyle ISD.
Alcohol use among secondary students in 1994 was similar to that reported in 1992. Overall,
Argyle ISD 8th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates lower than those reported by their
8th grade peers statewide.

Forty-one percent of Argyle students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 69 percent of 8th grade students statewide. Fourteen percent of Argyle
ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month, a rate lower than that
reported by their counterparts statewide (34 percent).

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 1994.

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 Argyle students are beer (40 percent/54
percent statewide) and wine coolers (40 percent/53 percent statewide), rates lower than those
reported by their peers statewide. Twenty-one percent of AISD students said they drink beer on
a weekly or monthly basis (32 percent statewide), and 19 percent said they drink wine coolers
weekly or monthly (31 percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by 8th 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. Twenty-one percent of Argyle ISD students reported "binge
drinking" beer at least once during the past year (33 percent statewide), while 2 percent said
they usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink (16 percent
statewide), rates lower than those reported by their peers statewide. Past-year "binge drinking"
of wine coolers was reported by 21 percent of AISD students (35 percent statewide), while 2
percent said they usually drink five or more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink
(18 percent statewide), rates also lower than those reported by their counterparts statewide.

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use at school, its use among friends,
and its use at parties. Sixty-two percent of Argyle ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers,
or liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain (70 percent statewide), and 2 percent
reported attending at least one class during the past school year while "drunk" (10 percent
statewide), rates somewhat lower than those reported by 8th grade students statewide (10
percent).

Ten percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, a rate
lower than that reported by their peers statewide (31 percent). Seventeen percent of district 8th
graders responded "from friends" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or
always. None of the AISD students reported having "difficulties of any kind" with friends
because of one's own drinking (8 percent statewide).

Nine percent of Argyle 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 (24
percent). Twenty percent of district students responded "at parties" when asked where they
obtain alcohol most of the time or always, while 4 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 been in 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 (10 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (22 percent). Eighty 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 9 percent of district students who had
not experienced difficulties with school officials because of conduct problems had used alcohol
within the past 30 days.

3
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 Argyle students
said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (77 percent statewide). Nine percent of district
students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer (11
percent statewide), and 4 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (8 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. Between 1992 and
1994, use of inhalants among students statewide decreased somewhat. Overall, Argyle ISD 8th
grade students are using inhalants at rates somewhat lower than those reported by their 8th
grade counterparts statewide.

Sixteen percent of Argyle students reported using inhalants at least once during their lifetimes,
compared to 24 percent of 8th grade students statewide. Four percent of Argyle ISD students
said they had used inhalants during the past month (8 percent statewide).

None of AISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (4 percent
statewide), but 2 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school year
while "high" on inhalants (5 percent statewide). Six percent of AISD students said they had
used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes, a rate somewhat
lower than that reported by their peers statewide (15 percent).

Eight percent of Argyle ISD students reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants"
category (11 percent statewide), 6 percent said they had inhaled correction fluid/Liquid Paper
(13 percent statewide), 4 percent said they had inhaled glue (8 percent statewide), 4 percent
reported inhaling gasoline (8 percent statewide), and 4 percent said they had inhaled paint
thinner (8 percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes. None of the AISD student
reported ever inhaling liquid/spray paint (9 percent statewide).

None of the Argyle ISD students who had not been absent since the Fall reported having used
inhalants during the past month, while 9 percent of those district students who said they had
missed four or more days of school said they had used inhalants during the past month. None
of district students who had not been in trouble with school officials reported using inhalants
within the past 30 days. By contrast, 40 percent of district students who had been in trouble
with school officials on four or more days reported using inhalants during the past 30 days.

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.

4
Illicit drugs are defined as controlled substances and include marijuana, cocaine (powdered
form and crack), uppers (stimulants), downers (narcotics), hallucinogens, and ecstasy. Between
1992 and 1994, the use of illicit drugs among students statewide increased. The use of
marijuana, the most frequently used illicit substance, also increased among students statewide
over that two-year period.

In the Argyle ISD, 16 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during their
lifetimes (24 percent statewide), and 8 percent of AISD students said they had used one or more
illicit substances three or more times (15 percent statewide), rates somewhat lower than those
reported by their counterparts statewide. Statewide, students who said they had used illicit
drugs reported using them an average of 1.2 times in the past 30 days and 2.9 times during their
lives. Argyle students reported average usage rates of 1.1 times in the past month and 4.3 times
during their lifetimes.

Sixteen percent of AISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
similar to that reported by 8th grade students statewide (21 percent). Past-month marijuana use
was reported by 12 percent of Argyle ISD students (11 percent statewide).

Twenty-four percent of AISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, a
rate lower than that reported by 8th grade students statewide (36 percent). Seven percent of
AISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while "stoned" on marijuana
(8 percent statewide).

Thirteen percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (17
percent statewide). Seven percent of district students said they had been in "difficulties of any
kind" with their friends because of their own drug use (5 percent statewide). Six percent of the
Argyle 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 somewhat lower than that reported by their
peers statewide (12 percent).

Fewer Argyle ISD students who had not been absent since the Fall reported having used
marijuana during the past month (10 percent) than did district students who said they had
missed four or more days of school (22 percent). Three percent of district students who had not
been in trouble with school officials reported using marijuana within the past 30 days. By
contrast, 60 percent of district students who had been in trouble with school officials on four or
more days reported using marijuana during the past 30 days.

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Argyle students reported a
disapproval rate of 89 percent (85 percent statewide). Six percent of district students said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana (9 percent statewide),
while 4 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (3 percent statewide).

Ecstasy is the next most frequently used illicit substance among Argyle ISD students (8
percent/2 percent statewide). Six percent of AISD students reported using downers (4 percent

5
statewide), 4 percent reported using uppers (6 percent statewide), 4 percent said they had used
steroids (2 percent statewide), 2 percent said they had used hallucinogens (4 percent statewide),
and 2 percent said they had used powdered cocaine (4 percent statewide) at least once during
their lifetimes. None of the district student reported ever using crack (2 percent statewide).

DRUG AND ALCOHOL INFORMATION

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Argyle students said they would seek help from their friends (84 percent),
compared to 71 percent of 8th grade students statewide. Sixty-nine percent of AISD students
said they would turn to their parents for help (54 percent statewide), and 59 percent said they
would seek help from a counselor or program in school (39 percent statewide), rates higher than
those reported by 8th grade students statewide. District students are least likely to seek help
from another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (39 percent/34 percent statewide).
Since school began in the Fall, 5 percent of Argyle students reported seeking help for any
problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends (8
percent statewide).

Seventy-three percent of Argyle ISD students said they had obtained information about drugs
and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 80 percent of 8th
grade students statewide. "An assembly program" was reported by 30 percent of district
students as a source for information about drugs and alcohol (56 percent statewide), while 28
percent reported getting this information from a "health class" (42 percent statewide). Twelve
percent of AISD students said "an invited school guest" was a source for information about
drugs and alcohol, a rate lower than that reported by their peers statewide (50 percent).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-two percent of Argyle students believe that powdered cocaine
use is "very dangerous" (88 percent statewide), and 89 percent of Argyle students believe that
crack use is "very dangerous" (89 percent statewide). Eighty-four percent of AISD students
believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous," a rate higher than that reported by 8th graders
statewide (74 percent). Sixty-one percent of district students believe that marijuana use is "very
dangerous," a rate lower than that reported by 8th grade students statewide (72 percent). By
contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only 58 percent of AISD
students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol, compared to 47 percent of 8th grade
students statewide. Forty-one percent of Argyle ISD students believe that tobacco use is "very
dangerous" (44 percent statewide).

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