TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

HARDIN-JEFFERSON ISD

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 grades 7 through 11 in the Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District (HJISD).
A total of 721 students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences
with alcohol and drugs. Of that number, 50 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 671.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

•Fifty-five percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students reported using tobacco at least once
during their lifetimes, and 27 percent said they had used tobacco during the past
month.

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

•Seventy-two percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said they had used alcohol at
least once during their lifetimes, and 35 percent reported using alcohol during
the past month.

•Ten percent of HJISD students reported attending at least one class during the past year
while "drunk," and 15 percent of district 9th through 11th grade 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 20 percent of district students, while

past-month inhalant use was reported by 6 percent.

•Eighteen percent of HJISD students reported using marijuana at least once during their
lifetimes, and 9 percent 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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•Hardin-Jefferson ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or
alcohol problem (80 percent) and least likely to consult another adult in school,
such as a teacher or nurse (29 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. Fifty-five percent of Hardin-
Jefferson students reported general tobacco use at least once during their lifetimes. 2 The rates
of lifetime general tobacco use ranged from 44 percent of HJISD 7th graders (40 percent
statewide) to 62 percent of district 11th graders (61 percent statewide).

Twenty-seven percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said they had used a tobacco product
during the past month. Past-month use of a tobacco product was lowest among district 7th
graders (13 percent/16 percent statewide). Thirty-two percent of HJISD 8th graders reported
past-month use of a tobacco product, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by 8th graders
statewide (23 percent).

Fifty-percent of Hardin-Jefferson students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes, and 21 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month. Smoking
cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 10 percent of district students, while 20 percent said
most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes.

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 28 percent of HJISD students,
while 10 percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month. Using
a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 5 percent of district students, and
12 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 Hardin-
Jefferson ISD. Alcohol use among secondary students statewide was similar to that reported
two years ago. Seventy-two percent of Hardin-Jefferson students reported consuming alcohol
at least once during their lifetimes. Lifetime alcohol use was lowest among district 7th grade
students (58 percent/58 percent statewide) and highest among HJISD 12th grade students (83
percent/86 percent statewide).

Thirty-five percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during the
past month. Past-month consumption of alcohol was lowest among HJISD 7th graders (17

2
Because a non-standard grade combination was used in this district, no state data for 7th through 11th
grades combined are available for comparisons throughout this report.

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percent/24 percent statewide) and highest among district 12th graders (48 percent/52 percent
statewide).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Hardin-Jefferson students are wine coolers
(60 percent) and beer (59 percent). Thirty-five percent of HJISD students said they drink beer
on a weekly or monthly basis, and 30 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly.

"Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine coolers, servings of wine, or
drinks with liquor at one time. Past-year "binge drinking" of wine coolers was reported by 39
percent of HJISD students, while 17 percent said they usually drink five or more wine coolers at
a time on average when they drink. Thirty-five percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students
reported "binge drinking" beer at least once during the past year, while 18 percent said they
usually drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink.

Ten percent of Hardin-Jefferson students reported attending at least one class during the past
school year while "drunk" (10 percent statewide). Attending class while intoxicated was
reported by 18 percent of district 11th grade students, a rate somewhat higher than that reported
by 11th grade students statewide (10 percent). Three percent of HJISD 7th grade students
reported attending at least one class during the past school year while "drunk" (7 percent
statewide).

Fifteen percent of HJISD 9th through 11th grade students said that they had driven a car after
having "a good bit to drink" at least once during the past year. Driving while intoxicated was
highest among district 11th graders (23 percent/20 percent statewide). Driving while
intoxicated four or more times during the past year was reported by 3 percent of district 9th
through 11th graders.

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Seventy-nine percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers,
or liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain. Thirty-five percent of district students
reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol, and 41 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 8 percent of HJISD
students.

Thirty-five percent of Hardin-Jefferson students said alcohol was used at most or all of the
parties they attended in the past school year. Alcohol use at most or all parties was reported by
55 percent of HJISD 11th graders (57 percent statewide). Forty percent of district students
responded "at parties" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always,
while 16 percent of HJISD 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 HJISD students who had not been absent since the Fall

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reported having used alcohol during the past month (23 percent) than did district students who
said they had missed four or more days of school (40 percent). Seventy 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 21 percent of district students who had
not experienced difficulties with school officials because of conduct problems had used alcohol
within the past 30 days.

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, 78 percent of Hardin-Jefferson
students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove. Six percent of district students said
they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking beer, and 11 percent said
their parents neither approve nor disapprove.

Inhalants3

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.

Twenty percent of Hardin-Jefferson students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes. Lifetime inhalant use was highest among HJISD 8th grade students (32 percent), a
rate somewhat higher than that reported by 8th grade students statewide (24 percent). Eleven
percent of district 11th grade students reported lifetime inhalant use (14 percent statewide).

Six percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past
month. The rates of past-month inhalant use ranged from 5 percent of HJISD 9th graders (5
percent statewide) to 12 percent of district 8th graders (8 percent statewide).

Three percent of HJISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants, and 4
percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school year while "high" on
inhalants. Thirteen percent of HJISD students said they had used two or more different kinds of
inhalant substances during their lifetimes.

The inhalant substance most frequently used by Hardin-Jefferson students was correction
fluid/Liquid Paper (12 percent). Nine percent of district students reported inhaling gasoline, 8
percent said they had inhaled glue, 8 percent said they had inhaled liquid/spray paint, and 8
percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants" category at least once during their
lifetimes.

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.

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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 Hardin-Jefferson ISD, 21 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once
during their lifetimes, while 15 percent of HJISD students said they had used one or more illicit
substances three or more times. HJISD students who said they had used illicit drugs reported
using them an average of 1.0 times in the past 30 days and 3.4 times during their lives.

Eighteen percent of HJISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes.
Past-month marijuana use was lowest among district 7th graders (4 percent), a rate somewhat
lower than that reported by 7th graders statewide (13 percent). Twenty-two percent of HJISD
11th graders reported lifetime marijuana use, a rate lower than that reported by 11th graders
statewide (32 percent). Lifetime marijuana use was reported by 25 percent of district 10th
grade students (30 percent statewide).

Past-month marijuana use was reported by 9 percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students. Current
marijuana use was lowest among HJISD 7th graders (2 percent/6 percent statewide) and highest
among district 10th graders (18 percent/14 percent statewide).

Eight percent of HJISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while
"stoned" on marijuana. Five percent of district 7th graders reported attending class while under
the influence of marijuana (5 percent statewide). Attending class while "stoned" was reported
by 18 percent of HJISD 11th grade students, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by 11th
grade students statewide (10 percent).

Driving under the influence of drugs at least once during the past year was reported by 7
percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD 9th through 11th grade students (8 percent statewide). Driving
while under the influence of drugs was highest among HJISD 11th graders (11 percent/10
percent statewide).

Forty percent of HJISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, and 13
percent reported most or all of their close friends use marijuana. Four percent of district
students said they had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends because of their
own drug use.

Twelve percent of the Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs
were used at most or all of the parties they attended during the school year. Marijuana and/or
other drugs at most or all parties was highest among HJISD 11th grade students (28 percent/25
percent statewide).

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

Other illicit substances are used by a small number of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students. Eight
percent of HJISD students reported using uppers, 6 percent reported using downers, 5 percent
said they had used hallucinogens, and 3 percent reported using ecstasy at least once during their
lifetimes.

CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Hardin-Jefferson ISD, male students were somewhat more likely to have used an inhalant than
were district female students. There were no other significant differences by gender among
HJISD students with regard to the use of tobacco or alcohol products, marijuana, or other illicit
substances.

In the statewide survey, students living in two-parent homes reported lower drug use than did
students living in other family situations. HJISD students living in other family situations were
over two times more likely to have smoked marijuana than were those district students living in
homes with two parents. There were no other significant differences by living arrangement
among Hardin-Jefferson ISD students with regard to the use of tobacco or alcohol products,
inhalants, or other illegal drugs.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Hardin-Jefferson students said they would seek help from their friends (80
percent). Fifty-nine percent of HJISD students said they would seek help from an adult friend
or relative, and 57 percent said they would turn to their parents. District students are least likely
to seek help from another adult in school, such as a teacher or nurse (29 percent). Since school
began in the Fall, 4 percent of Hardin-Jefferson students reported seeking help for any problems
connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends.

Eighty-one percent of Hardin-Jefferson ISD students said they had gotten information about
drugs and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall. "An assembly program"
was reported by 58 percent of district students as a source for this information, while 55 percent
reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class." Forty-nine percent
of HJISD students said "an invited school guest" was a source for this information.

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. Ninety-six percent of Hardin-Jefferson students believe that crack use is
"very dangerous," and 92 percent believe that powdered cocaine use is "very dangerous."
Seventy-nine percent of HJISD students believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous," and 76
percent believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous." By contrast, the perceived danger of

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alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Only 50 percent of HJISD students feel that it is "very
dangerous" to use alcohol, while 36 percent believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous."