Texas School Survey of Drug and Alcohol Use

White Oak ISD

Secondary Executive Summary

Introduction

The Texas School Survey is an annual collection of self-reported tobacco, alcohol, inhalant, and
substance use data from among elementary and/or secondary students in individual districts throughout
the state of Texas. The survey, conducted by the Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) in conjunction
with the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA), is also administered every other
year to a representative sample of Texas students in grades 4 through 6 and grades 7 through 12.

Data from the statewide sampling, last administered in the Spring of 1998, are incorporated into an
over-time database maintained by TCADA to track trends in substance use so that policymakers at the
state level have up-to-date information upon which to base decisions and plot prevention strategies.
These data also serve as an overall standard of comparison for use by those at the district level to
interpret, and act upon, local survey findings in a similar way.

The executive summary begins with a section containing a general demographic overview of those who
took the survey in the participating district. This is followed by sections dealing with the various
substances covered by the survey---tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and illicit drugs. The summary
concludes with a section that explores selected characteristics associated with substance use in the
district and a final one dealing with where students come by what they know about drugs and alcohol
and to whom they might turn if they thought they were having a problem.

For context, each section dealing with substance use will begin with a brief, over-time glimpse of the
statewide trends in the 1990's with regard to that substance. Use data are then sandwiched in between
subsections dealing with environment and, where the data are applicable, with behavior specifically
associated with substance use.

Items that are generally recognized as contributing to the environment in which substance use is most
likely to occur include availability, peer use, and parental attitudes. Included in the behavior category
are such things as "binge drinking" (the consuming of five or more alcoholic beverages at one time),
attending class drunk or stoned, use of alcohol or illicit drugs at parties, or operating a motor vehicle
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

As for the actual, self-reported use of each substance, it is important to note the frequency of such use.
Is it experimental, a once-in-a-lifetime thing? Is it casual use, a once-in-a-while behavior? Or is it
regular use, a monthly, weekly, or---in the case of tobacco products in particular---a daily habit?
Further, use data are used to differentiate between those who smoke cigarettes from those who use a
smokeless tobacco product, those who drink beer from those who drink wine coolers, those who sniff
correction fluid from those who sniff glue, and those who smoke marijuana from those who snort
powdered cocaine.

Three final points should be noted about the data. First, 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. Second, because a non-standard grade combination was surveyed in this
district, no state data for grades 10 and 12 combined are available for comparisons throughout this
report, although between-grade comparisons with state data can be made.

Finally, some data in this report are marked with an asterisk. Data so marked are estimated to be
statistically significant at the .01 level from the comparable data for the state as a whole. This means
that in only one of a hundred samples would a difference this large have occurred when there was no
difference between the district and state data. Differences in very small districts will seldom be
statistically significant due to the small number of cases. Differences that are not marked may be
important, but should be treated with more caution than those that are statistically significant.

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

Demographic Overview

In the Spring of 1999, the Texas School Survey was administered to students in grades10 and 12 in the
White Oak Independent School District (WOISD). Texas School Survey protocols, formulated to
ensure that the data used in this analysis has an acceptable probability of error, called for the district to
administer the survey to all of the secondary students. The accuracy of the data requires that school
staff administering the survey followed the protocols.

A total of 161 students completed the questionnaire. Of that number, 7 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 154, consisting of:

• Sixty-one percent who are 10th graders and 39 percent who are 12th graders;

• A few less male (46 percent) than female (54 percent) students;

• An ethnic breakdown that is 92 percent white, 3 percent African-American, 2 percent Mexican-

American, 2 percent Native American, and 1 percent other;

• Sixty-one percent who say they live in a two-parent home, and 88 percent who report they have
lived in the district for three or more years; and

• Fifty-seven percent who say their parent(s) are college graduates, and 10 percent who indicate they
qualify for free/reduced lunches at school.

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Tobacco

General tobacco use includes both cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. Between 1990 and
1998, those secondary students statewide who have reported experimental use of tobacco products has
stayed relatively flat at just over 50 percent. On the other hand, the prevalence of those secondary
students reporting past-month use inched upward from 1992 through 1996. This upward trend in more
recent use appears to have leveled off in 1998, however.

Overall, White Oak ISD students were using tobacco products in 1999 at rates higher than those
reported by their counterparts statewide.

Environment. Ninety-three percent of WOISD students reported that cigarettes are somewhat or very
easy to get, while 28 percent said most or all of their close friends smoke cigarettes. Eighty percent of
district students indicated that smokeless tobacco products are somewhat or very easy to get, and 2
percent said most or all of their close friends use smokeless tobacco.

Students were asked about parental attitudes toward the use of cigarettes by “kids your age.” Eighty-
three percent of WOISD students said their parents strongly or mildly disapprove of kids smoking,
while 14 percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove of such behavior, and 3 percent said
they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age smoking cigarettes.

Twenty-seven percent of White Oak students believe that tobacco use is "very dangerous."

Use. Sixty-four percent of White Oak students reported general tobacco use at least once during their
lifetimes. Experimental use of tobacco products was indicated by 56 percent of district 10th graders
(60 percent statewide). Seventy-six* percent of WOISD 12th grade students said they had used a
tobacco product at least one time in their lives, a rate higher than that indicated by their peers statewide
(63 percent).

Forty-one percent of White Oak ISD students said they had used a tobacco product during the past
month. Past-month general tobacco use was reported by 36* percent of WOISD 10th grade students
(21 percent statewide) and 49* percent of district 12th grade students (36 percent statewide); rates
higher than those indicated by their counterparts statewide.

Sixty-three percent of White Oak students reported smoking cigarettes at least once during their
lifetimes, while 40 percent said they had smoked cigarettes during the past month, and 23 percent
reported smoking cigarettes on a daily basis. Daily cigarette use was reported by 19* percent of White
Oak ISD 10th graders (5 percent statewide) and 29* percent of district 12th graders (15 percent
statewide); rates higher than those indicated by their peers statewide.

Experimental use of smokeless tobacco products was reported by 20 percent of WOISD students, 8
percent said they had used a smokeless tobacco product during the past month, and 2 percent reported
using a smokeless tobacco product on a daily basis.

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Alcohol

Alcohol is the most widely used substance among students statewide and in the White Oak ISD. As the
decade began, 81 percent of secondary students statewide reported experimental alcohol use. This
lifetime prevalence rate inched downward in 1992 (76 percent) and again in 1994 (74 percent), stayed
flat in 1996 (74 percent), and declined further in 1998 (72 percent). The rate of alcohol use in the past
month among secondary students statewide was 43 percent in 1990, dropped to 37 percent in 1992,
inched back upward to 39 percent in 1994, and has stayed relatively flat through 1996 and 1998 (38
percent).

Overall, White Oak ISD students appear to have been drinking alcohol in 1999 at rates somewhat
similar to those indicated by their counterparts statewide.

Environment. Forty percent of district students reported most or all of their close friends drink
alcohol, and 88 percent said beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor were somewhat easy or very easy to
obtain. WOISD students were asked where they obtained alcohol most of the time or always. Forty-
eight percent of district students responded that they obtain alcohol "at parties," 44 percent said they
get it "from friends," and 12 percent reported they get alcohol "from the store."

Parental attitudes can be a major factor in whether or not a student uses alcohol. When asked how their
parents feel about kids their age drinking beer, 90 percent of White Oak students said their parents
strongly or mildly disapprove, 7 percent indicated their parents neither approve nor disapprove of such
behavior, and 2 percent reported they "don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age drinking
beer.

Half of WOISD students (48 percent) feel that it is "very dangerous" to use alcohol.

Use. Sixty-five percent of White Oak students reported consuming alcohol at least once during their
lifetimes. Lifetime alcohol use was indicated by 55* percent of WOISD 10th graders, a rate lower than
that indicated by their peers statewide (78 percent). Seventy-nine percent of district 12th grade
students said they had consumed alcohol at least one time in their lives (83 percent statewide).

Forty-one percent of White Oak ISD students said they had consumed alcohol during the past month.
Past-month alcohol use was reported by 38 percent of WOISD 10th grade students (31 percent
statewide) and 49 percent of district 12th grade students (52 percent statewide).

The alcoholic beverages most often consumed by White Oak students are beer (59 percent) and wine
coolers (56 percent). Forty-seven percent of WOISD students said they drink beer on a weekly or
monthly basis, and 39 percent said they drink wine coolers weekly or monthly.

Behavior Associated With Use. "Binge drinking" is the consumption of five or more beers, wine
coolers, servings of wine, or drinks with liquor at one time. Forty percent of White Oak ISD students
reported "binge drinking" beer at least once during their lifetimes, while 27 percent said they usually
drink five or more beers at a time on average when they drink. One-time "binge drinking" of wine

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coolers was reported by 41 percent of WOISD students, while 22 percent said they usually drink five or
more wine coolers at a time on average when they drink.

Nine percent of White Oak students reported attending at least one class during the past school year
while "drunk." Attending class while intoxicated was indicated by 7 percent of WOISD 10th graders
(11 percent statewide) and 14 percent of district 12th graders (11 percent statewide).

Eighteen percent of WOISD 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 reported by 12 percent of district 10th
graders (11 percent statewide) and 27 percent of White Oak 12th graders (25 percent statewide).
Driving while intoxicated four or more times during the past year was reported by 8 percent of district
students.

Fifty-five percent of White Oak 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 49 percent of
WOISD 10th graders (50 percent statewide) and 64 percent of district 12th graders (61 percent
statewide).

One percent of WOISD students said they had gotten into trouble with their teacher because of alcohol
use at least once during the past school year, while 5 percent reported they had gotten in trouble with
the police because of their alcohol use during the past year, and 9 percent said they had "difficulties of
any kind" with friends because of one's own drinking.

Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are defined as controlled substances and include marijuana, cocaine (powdered form and
crack), uppers (stimulants), downers (narcotics), Rohypnol, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and heroin.

In 1990, as part of a general downward trend in the use of these substances, a quarter of secondary
students statewide (25 percent) reported experimental use of an illegal drug and 10 percent said they
had used an illegal substance during the past month. This downward trend bottomed out in 1992, as 22
percent of secondary students reported lifetime use of any illicit substance and 8 percent indicated past-
month use. The use of marijuana by this student population closely paralleled this overall trend. As the
decade began, 23 percent of secondary students statewide reported that they had smoked marijuana at
least once and 8 percent indicated they had done so in the previous month. Two years later, as the
downward trend bottomed out, 20 percent of 7th through 12th graders said they had experimented with
marijuana at least once and 7 percent reported past-month use.

In 1994, however, these prevalence rates began to climb---most particularly with regard to past-month
use. Thus, 28 percent of this student population indicated use of an illegal drug at least once in their
lifetimes, while more recent use nearly doubled from that reported two years earlier---to 14 percent. By
1996, experimental use of illicit substances had climbed to 34 percent and 18 percent said they had used
such a substance in the previous month. In the most recent assessment, the lifetime use inched up to 36
percent, but the past-month use edged down to 15 percent. Again, marijuana use mirrors this these
trends. In 1994, 25 percent of secondary students statewide said they had experimented with marijuana

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and 12 percent indicated they had done so in the last thirty days. Two years later, these prevalence rates
climbed up again, to 31 percent for lifetime use and 16 percent for past-month use. And, in 1998, well
over a third (35 percent) of this student population had smoked marijuana at least

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once, although more recent use was slightly lower than that which had been reported during the
previous assessment (15 percent).

Overall, White Oak ISD students in grade 10 were using illicit substances, marijuana in particular, at
rates somewhat similar to those reported by their peers statewide, while WOISD students in grade 12
were doing so at rates somewhat higher than those indicated by their counterparts statewide.

Environment. Students were asked how available they believed certain substances were to obtain.
Just under three-quarters of WOISD students (71 percent) said marijuana was somewhat or very easy
to obtain, while a third believed that uppers (34 percent) or downers (34 percent) were easily accessible
to them, and a quarter indicated that powdered cocaine (24 percent) was somewhat or very easy to
obtain. Thirteen percent of district students said they believed heroin was somewhat or very easy to
obtain.

With regard to the question of the effects of peer influence on substance use, 24 percent of WOISD
students reported most or all of their close friends smoke marijuana. And when asked about parental
attitudes toward marijuana use, White Oak students reported a disapproval rate of 93 percent, while 4
percent said their parents neither approve nor disapprove of such behavior, and 2 percent said they
"don't know" how their parents feel about kids their age using marijuana,

Fifty-eight percent of White Oak students believe that marijuana use is "very dangerous." As for how
WOISD students view the risks associated with the use of certain other illicit substances, 74 percent of
district students feel that use of ecstasy is "very dangerous," 89 percent believe that powdered cocaine
use is "very dangerous," 91 percent feel that the use of crack is "very dangerous," and 92 percent
believe that heroin use is "very dangerous."

Use. In the White Oak ISD, 43 percent of students reported experimental use of an illicit drug, and 43
percent of WOISD students reported smoking marijuana at least once in their lifetimes. Lifetime
marijuana use was reported by 36 percent of White Oak 10th graders (43 percent statewide) and 52
percent of district 12th graders (46 percent statewide).

Past-month marijuana use was reported by 26 percent of White Oak ISD students (16 percent
statewide) (Fig. 2). Past-month marijuana use was indicated by 23 percent of district 10th graders (19
percent statewide). Thirty* percent of WOISD 12th graders said they had smoked marijuana during the
previous month, a rate higher than that indicated by their peers statewide (19 percent).

Other illicit substances are used by a smaller number of White Oak ISD students. The next most
frequently used illicit substances among White Oak ISD students were uppers (17 percent), downers
(15 percent), hallucinogens (13 percent), and powdered cocaine (10 percent). Seven percent of
WOISD students indicated they had used Rohypnol, 5 percent reported using ecstasy, 4 percent
reported using crack, 1 percent indicated they had used heroin, and 1 percent said they had used
steroids at least once during their lifetimes.

Behavior Associated with Use. Seventeen percent of WOISD students reported attending at least one
class in the past year while "stoned" on marijuana. Attending class while stoned ranged was reported by
15 percent of White Oak 10th graders (16 percent statewide). Twenty-one* percent of district 12th
grade students said they had attended attending at least one class in the past year while "stoned" on
marijuana, a rate higher than that indicated by their counterparts statewide (13 percent).
Driving under the influence of drugs at least once during the past year was reported by 19 percent of
White Oak ISD students. Twelve percent of district 10th grade students said they had operated a motor
vehicle at least one time while under the influence of drugs (11 percent statewide). Driving under the
influence of drugs was reported by 29* percent of WOISD 12th graders, compared to the 18 percent
indicated by their peers statewide. Driving while stoned four or more times during the past year was
reported by 3 percent of district students.

Thirty-two percent of the White Oak ISD students said that marijuana and/or other drugs were used at
most or all of the parties they attended during the school year. The use of marijuana and/or other drugs
at most or all parties was reported by 31 percent of district 10th graders (30 percent statewide) and 35
percent of WOISD 12th graders (33 percent statewide).

None of WOISD students said they had gotten into trouble with their teacher because of illicit drug use
at least once during the past school year, and none reported they had gotten in trouble with the police
because of their use of illegal drugs during the past year. Seven percent of district students said they
had gotten into "difficulties of any kind" with their friends during the past year because of their own
drug use.

Inhalants

In general, inhalants are common, licit substances (paints, thinners, correction fluid, glue, etc.) which,
when sniffed, huffed, or inhaled, produce an intoxicating effect. Lifetime and past-month inhalant use
percentages have been adjusted to reflect reported use of both specific inhalants and inhalant use
generally. This adjustment was made because some students responded positive to specific use without
responding positive to generic use, while some students responded positive to generic use but not
specific inhalants.

Experimental inhalant use among secondary students statewide reached a peak in 1992 (23 percent),
then dipped to 19 percent two years later, and stayed relatively flat through 1996 (20 percent). Past-
month use held steady at 5 percent throughout this period. A new trend may be emerging, however, as
lifetime use of inhalants inched back up to 22 percent in 1998 and 8 percent reported use of an inhalant
during the past month.

Overall, it would appear that White Oak ISD students were using inhalants in 1999 at rates somewhat
similar to those indicated by their counterparts statewide.

Environment. Two percent of WOISD students reported most or all of their close friends use
inhalants, and 75 percent believe that inhalant use is "very dangerous."

Use. Eighteen percent of White Oak students reported using inhalants at least once during their
lifetimes. Lifetime inhalant use was indicated by 13 percent of district 10th grade students (20 percent
statewide) and 25 percent of WOISD 12th grade students (17 percent statewide).

Three percent of White Oak ISD students said they had used inhalants during the past month. Past-
month inhalant use was reported by 5 percent of district 10th grade students (6 percent statewide).
None of the WOISD 12th graders said they had used an inhalant during the previous month (4 percent
statewide).
Eleven percent of WOISD students said they had used two or more different kinds of inhalant
substances during their lifetimes. Eight percent of district students said they had inhaled liquid/spray
paint, 6 percent indicated they had inhaled correction fluid/whiteout, 6 percent indicated they had
inhaled nitrous oxide/laughing gas,5 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other inhalants"
category, 4 percent reported inhaling gasoline, 4 percent reported inhaling substances in the "other
sprays" category, and 3 percent said they had inhaled glue at least once during their lifetimes.

Characteristics Associated With Drug Use

In the statewide survey, and with the notable exception of uppers, female students were somewhat less
likely to have used an illicit drug than were male students. In the White Oak ISD, male students were
somewhat more likely to have used hallucinogens and nearly twice as likely to have used inhalants than
were district female students. On the other hand, WOISD female students were over two times more
likely to have used uppers than were district male students. There were no other significant differences
by gender among WOISD students with regard to the use of tobacco products, alcohol, marijuana,
powdered cocaine, crack, downers, steroids, ecstasy, Rohypnol, or heroin.

Statewide, students living in two-parent homes were somewhat less likely to have used tobacco
products, alcohol, inhalants, and illicit drugs than were those students living in other family situations.
WOISD students living in other family situations were somewhat more likely to have used inhalants
than were those district students living in homes with two parents. There were no other significant
differences by living arrangement among White Oak ISD students with regard to the use of tobacco
products, alcohol, marijuana, powdered cocaine, crack, hallucinogens, uppers, downers, steroids,
ecstasy, Rohypnol, or heroin.

Drug and Alcohol Information

The influence of drug education programs may be reflected in students' attitudes toward the use of
specific substances reported above. Sixty-nine percent of White Oak ISD students said they had gotten
information about drugs and alcohol from a school source since classes began in the Fall. Fifty-three
percent of district students said "an invited school guest" was a source for information about drugs and
alcohol, while "an assembly program" was reported by 49 percent as a source for this information, and
39 percent reported getting information about drugs and alcohol from a "health class."

When asked where they would go for help with a drug or alcohol problem, the largest percentage of
White Oak students said they would seek help from their friends (85 percent). Sixty-two percent of
WOISD students said they would seek help from an adult friend or relative, and 55 percent said they
would turn to their parents. District students are least likely to seek help for a drug or alcohol problem
from a counselor or program in school (15 percent).

Since school began in the Fall, 3 percent of White Oak students reported seeking help for any problems
connected with alcohol or drug use from someone other than family or friends.