TEXAS SCHOOL SURVEY OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

MURCHISON 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 and 8 in the Murchison Independent School District (MISD). A total of 27
students completed the questionnaire, which asked about students' experiences with alcohol and
drugs. Since no students were identified as exaggerators, all 27 surveys were included in
analysis.1

Students' responses to the questionnaire indicate that:

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

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

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

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

•Lifetime use of inhalants was reported by 30 percent of district students, while

past-month inhalant use was reported by 3 percent.

•Eight percent of MISD students reported using marijuana at least once during their
lifetimes, but none said they had used marijuana during the past month.

•Murchison ISD students are most likely to turn to friends for help with a drug or
alcohol problem (83 percent) and least likely to consult a medical doctor (36
percent).

1 The percentages referred to in the executive summary were taken from the tables found in "Part I: District
Survey Results."

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Tobacco

Over the last two years, the general use of tobacco (including cigarettes and smokeless
products) among 7th and 8th grade students statewide has stayed much the same. Overall, the
general use of tobacco products among Murchison ISD 7th and 8th grade students is somewhat
similar to that reported by their counterparts statewide.

Fifty-three percent of Murchison students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes (46 percent statewide).2 Twenty-two percent of Murchison ISD students said they had
used a tobacco product during the past month (20 percent statewide).

Forty-nine percent of Murchison students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes (44 percent statewide), and 19 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past
month (18 percent statewide). Smoking cigarettes on a daily basis was reported by 10 percent
of district students (4 percent statewide). Nine percent of MISD students said most or all of
their close friends smoke cigarettes (19 percent statewide).

Lifetime use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 34 percent of MISD students (13
percent statewide). Sixteen percent of Murchison students said they had used a smokeless
tobacco product during the past month, compared to 4 percent of students statewide. Using a
smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis was reported by 5 percent of district students (1
percent statewide), and 4 percent said most or all of their close friends use smokeless tobacco (5
percent statewide).

Alcohol

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among students statewide and in the Murchison ISD.
Alcohol use among 7th and 8th grade students statewide was similar to that reported two years
ago. Overall, Murchison ISD 7th and 8th grade students are drinking alcohol at rates lower
than those reported by their peers statewide.

Thirty-eight percent of Murchison students reported consuming alcohol at least once during
their lifetimes, compared to 62 percent of students statewide. Fourteen percent of Murchison
ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month (29 percent statewide).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by Murchison students are beer (27 percent/47
percent statewide) and wine coolers (18 percent/47 percent statewide). Fourteen percent of
MISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or monthly basis (27 percent statewide), and 13
percent 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. Nine percent of Murchison ISD students reported "binge

2 Due to the small number of students surveyed in this district, no between-grade comparisons can be made.

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drinking" beer at least once during the past year (29 percent statewide), while 12 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 25 percent of MISD
students (30 percent statewide), while 8 percent said they usually drink five or more wine
coolers at a time on average when they drink (15 percent statewide).

Four percent of Murchison students reported attending at least one class during the past school
year while "drunk" (10 percent statewide).

Students were asked about the availability of alcohol, its use among friends, and its use at
parties. Fifty-three percent of Murchison ISD students said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor
were somewhat easy or very easy to obtain, compared to 64 percent of students statewide.
Eight percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink alcohol (24
percent statewide). None of the MISD students reported "Difficulties of any kind" with friends
because of their own drinking (7 percent statewide).

Seventeen percent of Murchison students said alcohol was used at most or all of the parties they
attended in the past school year (18 percent statewide). Sixteen percent of district students
responded "at parties" when asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always (39
percent statewide).

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, 84 percent of Murchison
students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove, compared to 77 percent of students
statewide. Five percent of district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about
kids their age drinking beer (13 percent statewide), and 11 percent said their parents neither
approve nor disapprove (7 percent statewide).

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 7th and 8th grade students statewide decreased. Overall, Murchison
ISD students are using inhalants at rates somewhat similar to those reported by their
counterparts statewide.

Thirty percent of Murchison students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes, a rate somewhat higher than that reported by students statewide (22 percent). Three
percent of Murchison ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past month (7
percent statewide).

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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Six percent of MISD students reported most or all of their close friends use inhalants (4 percent
statewide), and 5 percent said they had attended at least one class during the past school year
while "high" on inhalants (5 percent statewide). Eleven percent of MISD students said they had
used two or more different kinds of inhalant substances during their lifetimes (14 percent
statewide).

The inhalant substance most frequently used by Murchison students was correction fluid/Liquid
Paper (25 percent), a rate higher than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (10
percent). Twelve percent of district students said they had used substances in the "other
inhalants" category (10 percent statewide), 8 percent said they had inhaled liquid/spray paint (7
percent statewide), 8 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other sprays" category (4
percent statewide), 7 percent said they had inhaled paint thinner (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 7th and 8th grade students statewide has increased.
The use of marijuana, the most frequently used illicit substance, has also increased among 7th
and 8th graders statewide over the last two years.

In the Murchison ISD, 11 percent of students reported use of illicit drugs at least once during
their lifetimes (14 percent statewide), while 8 percent of MISD students said they had used one
or more illicit substances three or more times (12 percent statewide). Statewide, students who
said they had used illicit drugs reported using them an average of 2.2 times during their lives.
Murchison students reported an average usage rate of 2.5 times during their lifetimes.

Eight percent of MISD students reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetimes, a rate
somewhat lower than that reported by their counterparts statewide (17 percent). None of the
Murchison ISD students reported past-month marijuana use (5 percent statewide). Four percent
of MISD students reported attending at least one class in the past year while "stoned" on
marijuana (7 percent statewide).

Nine percent of MISD students said marijuana was somewhat or very easy to obtain, a rate
lower than that reported by students statewide (30 percent). None of the Murchison students
said most or all of their close friends use marijuana (12 percent statewide). Five percent of
district students said they had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends because of
their own drug use (5 percent statewide). Five percent of the Murchison 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, Murchison students reported a
disapproval rate of 95 percent, compared to 84 percent of students statewide. Five percent of

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district students said they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using
marijuana (8 percent statewide). None of the MISD students said their parents neither approve
nor disapprove of marijuana use (4 percent statewide).

Other illicit substances were used by a small number of Murchison ISD students. Eight percent
of MISD students said they had used hallucinogens (3 percent statewide), 4 percent said they
had used steroids (2 percent statewide), and 3 percent said they had used powdered cocaine (4
percent statewide) at least once during their lifetimes. None of the Murchison students
reported ever using uppers (4 percent statewide), downers (3 percent statewide), crack (2
percent statewide), or ecstasy (1 percent statewide).

CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE

Statewide, female students were less likely to have used drugs than were male students. In the
Murchison ISD, male 7th and 8th grade students were somewhat more likely to have used
alcohol or inhalants than were district female 7th and 8th grade students, and male students
were the only reported users of powdered cocaine. On the other hand, Murchison female 7th
and 8th graders were the only reported users of hallucinogens or steroids. There were no other
significant differences by gender among MISD students with regard to the use of tobacco or
marijuana.

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest
percentage of Murchison students said they would seek help from their friends (83 percent,
compared to 68 percent statewide. Seventy-seven percent of MISD students said they would
seek help from an adult friend or relative (47 percent statewide), and 72 percent said they would
turn to their parents (58 percent statewide), rates higher than those reported by their
counterparts statewide. District students are least likely to seek help from a medical doctor (36
percent/41 percent statewide). Since school began in the Fall, 5 percent of Murchison students
reported seeking help for any problems connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other
than family or friends (8 percent statewide).

Ninety-one percent of Murchison ISD students said they had gotten information about drugs
and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall, compared to 81 percent of
students statewide. Seventy-three percent of MISD students said "an invited school guest" was
a source for information about drugs and alcohol (49 percent statewide), and 71 percent
reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class" (47 percent
statewide), rates higher than those reported by their counterparts statewide. Fifty-seven percent
of district students said "an assembly program" was a source for this information (56 percent
statewide).

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use
of specific substances. All of the Murchison students believe that crack use (89 percent
statewide), powdered cocaine use (89 percent statewide), and marijuana use (76 percent
statewide) are "very dangerous." Ninety-five percent of MISD students believe that inhalant

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use is "very dangerous," compared to 75 percent of students statewide. By contrast, the
perceived danger of alcohol and tobacco use is lower. Seventy-four percent of MISD students
feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol, a rate higher than that reported by students
statewide (50 percent statewide). Only 31 percent of district students believe that tobacco use is
"very dangerous," a rate also lower than that reported by 7th and 8th graders statewide (49
percent).