TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

MEYERSVILLE 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 grades 7 and 8 in the Meyersville Independent School District (MISD). A total of
31 students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol
and drugs. Since no students were identified as exaggerators, all 31 surveys were included in
analysis.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Twenty-three percent of Meyersville ISD students reported using tobacco at least once
during their lifetimes, and 10 percent said they had used tobacco during the past
month.

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

•Sixty-one percent of Meyersville ISD students said they had used alcohol at least once
during their lifetimes, and 13 percent reported using alcohol during the past
month.

•None of the Meyersville ISD students reported attending class during the past year
while "drunk."

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 3 percent of Meyersville ISD students, while
none reported past-month inhalant use.

•None of the Meyersville ISD students reported using marijuana at least once during
their lifetimes.

•Meyersville ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or
alcohol problem (85 percent) and least likely to consult a counselor or program
in school (24 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

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 Meyersville ISD students is lower than that reported by their counterparts
statewide.

Twenty-three percent of Meyersville students reported general tobacco use at least once during
their lifetimes, compared to 46 percent of 7th and 8th graders statewide. 3 Ten percent of
Meyersville ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past month, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by 7th and 8th grade students statewide (20 percent).

Nineteen percent of Meyersville students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes (44 percent statewide), and 6 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past
month (18 percent statewide), rates lower than those reported by their peers statewide. None of
the district students reported smoking cigarettes on a daily basis (4 percent statewide), and none
said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.4

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 6 percent of MISD students (13
percent statewide), while 6 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the
past month (4 percent statewide). Using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was
reported by 3 percent of district students (1 percent statewide), and 3 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 Meyersville
ISD. Alcohol use among secondary students in 1994 was similar to that reported in 1992.
Overall, Meyersville ISD 7th and 8th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates somewhat
similar to those reported by their 7th and 8th grade peers statewide.

Sixty-one percent of Meyersville students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes (63 percent statewide). Thirteen percent of Meyersville ISD students said they had
consumed alcohol during the past month (29 percent statewide).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Meyersville students are wine coolers (43
percent/47 percent statewide) and beer (32 percent/47 percent statewide). Ten percent of MISD
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 Due to the small number of students surveyed in this district, no between-grade comparisons can be made.

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

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students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (27 percent statewide). None of the
district students said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly (26 percent statewide).

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. MISD students are "binge drinking" beer and wine coolers at
rates somewhat lower than their 7th and 8th grade counterparts statewide. Twenty-three percent
of Meyersville ISD students reported "binge drinking" beer at least once during the past year
(29 percent statewide), while 10 percent said they usually drink five or more beers at a time on
average when they drink (14 percent statewide). Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers
was reported by 23 percent of MISD students (30 percent statewide), while 3 percent said they
usually drink five or more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink (15 percent
statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Eighty-three percent of Meyersville ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or
liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain, compared to 64 percent of 7th and 8th
graders statewide. None of the Meyersville students reported attending a class during the past
school year while "drunk" (9 percent statewide).

Ten percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol (24
percent statewide), and 17 percent 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 none of the MISD students (7 percent statewide).

Seven percent of Meyersville 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 7th and 8th grade students
statewide (19 percent). Thirteen percent of district students responded "at parties" when asked
where they obtain alcohol most of the time or always. None of the MISD 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, 82 percent of Meyersville
students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove (77 percent statewide). Seven percent
of district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking
beer (13 percent statewide), and 7 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (7
percent statewide).

Inhalants5

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
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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1994, use of inhalants among students statewide decreased. Overall, Meyersville ISD students
are using inhalants at rates lower than those reported by their counterparts statewide.

Three percent of Meyersville students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes, compared to 22 percent of 7th and 8th graders statewide. None of the Meyersville
ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past month (7 percent statewide).

None of the MISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (4 percent
statewide), and none said they had attended at least one class during the past school year while
"high" on inhalants (6 percent statewide). None of the MISD students said they had used two or
more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes (14 percent statewide).

The only inhalant substance reported having been used by Meyersville students was gasoline (3
percent/7 percent statewide). None of the district students reported ever inhaling correction
fluid/Liquid Paper (12 percent statewide), glue (7 percent statewide), liquid/spray paint (8
percent statewide), substances in the "other sprays" category (5 percent statewide), paint thinner
(7 percent statewide), or substances in the "other inhalants" category (10 percent statewide).

Illicit Drugs

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 Meyersville ISD, none of the students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during
their lifetimes (19 percent statewide), including marijuana (17 percent statewide).

Seven percent of MISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, a rate
lower than that reported by 7th and 8th grade students statewide (21 percent). None of the
Meyersville students reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana (12 percent
statewide). None of the MISD students reported attending a class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana (7 percent statewide). None of the Meyersville ISD students said that
marijuana and/or other drugs were used at most or all of the parties they attended during the
school year (9 percent statewide).

When asked about parental attitudes toward marijuana use, Meyersville students reported a
disapproval rate of 96 percent, compared to 84 percent of their peers statewide. Four percent of
district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using
marijuana (11 percent statewide), but none said their parents neither approve nor disapprove (3
percent statewide).

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DRUG AND ALCOHOL INFORMATION

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Meyersville students said they would seek help from their friends (85 percent),
compared to 68 percent of 7th and 8th graders statewide. Eighty-one percent of MISD students
said they would seek help from their parents (58 percent statewide), and 64 percent said they
would turn to an adult friend or relative (56 percent statewide). District students are least likely
to seek help from a counselor or program in school (24 percent), a rate lower than that reported
by 7th and 8th grade students statewide (43 percent). Since school began in the Fall, none of
the Meyersville students reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug
use from someone other than family or friends (8 percent statewide).

Eighty percent of Meyersville ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs and
alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall (81 percent statewide). "An
assembly program" was reported by 32 percent of district students as a source for drug and
alcohol information (56 percent statewide), while 29 percent reported getting this information
from a "health class" (47 percent statewide). Twelve percent of MISD students said "an invited
school guest" was a source for information about drugs and alcohol (49 percent statewide).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-six percent of Meyersville students believe that crack use is
"very dangerous" (89 percent statewide), and 96 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is
"very dangerous" (89 percent statewide). Ninety-six percent of district students believe that
marijuana use is "very dangerous," a rate higher than that reported by 7th and 8th graders
statewide (76 percent). Seventy-seven percent of MISD students believe that inhalant use is
"very dangerous" (75 percent statewide). By contrast, the perceived danger of alcohol and
tobacco use is lower. Only 46 percent of MISD students feel that it is "very dangerous" to use
alcohol (50 percent statewide). Thirty-five percent of district students believe that tobacco use
is "very dangerous," a rate lower than that reported by 7th and 8th grade students statewide (49
percent).