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2003 Safe & Drug-Free
Schools Report -
Highlights
The
research shows that youth experiences with risky behaviors such as
smoking cigarettes and marijuana, using drugs and consuming
alcohol all increase with age.
Reported experimentation with such substances is rare in
the fifth grade, existing but infrequent in the eighth grade and
increasingly common in the tenth grade.
Similarly, experiences or fears related to violence at
school also increase between elementary school, middle school and
high school.
Here are
some highlights of the research:
-
In
the fifth grade, only 2% of students report ever smoking a
cigarette themselves, though 8% report that some kids in their
grade do smoke.
-
By
eighth grade, 15% of students report smoking themselves, at
least a few times a year, and 68% report that kids in their
grade smoke.
-
Among
tenth graders, 32% report smoking themselves, at least a few
times a year, with 14% reporting they smoke everyday.
-
Only
1% of fifth graders reported any experience with pot
(marijuana). However,
11% of eighth graders and 26% of tenth graders report using
pot at least a few times a year.
Three percent of eighth graders and 11% of tenth
graders use pot at least weekly.
- Attitudes about pot
change drastically between fifth and tenth grade.
In fifth grade, 99% of students say pot is “very
dangerous” or “kinda dangerous.” By eighth grade, 7% say pot is “kinda safe” or
“very safe.” By
tenth grade, those saying pot is “kinda safe” or “very
safe” rises to 20%.
-
Among
tenth graders, 18% report experiences with illegal drugs, with
5% saying they use them every day.
-
Unlike
some other practices, use of intoxicating inhalants, commonly
called huffing or sniffing, does not appear to increase
dramatically with age. Only
2% of fifth graders report any experience with this practice,
compared to 5% of eighth graders and 6% of tenth graders.
-
One
third of eighth graders (33%) and over half of tenth graders
(55%) report consuming beer or wine at least a few times.
-
Eighth
and tenth graders believe drinking beer or wine is pervasive
in their schools. Only
27% of eighth graders and 3% of tenth graders report that
“hardly any kids drink.
- Liquor
consumption is lower, but still common.
Among eighth graders 16% report some experiences with
liquor. The
percentage of 10th graders who have tried liquor is
39%.
-
Fears
about school site violence and bullying occur at all ages,
with 14% of fifth graders, 9% of eighth graders and 11% of
tenth graders reporting they are sometimes or frequently
afraid to go to school.
-
Students
who participate in gang activity are not much higher in tenth
or eighth grade as it is in fifth.
Seven percent of fifth graders report gang involvement,
compared to 10% of eighth graders and 9% of tenth graders.
-
Perhaps
related to the higher incidence of gang activity, 16% of
eighth graders rate their schools as “dangerous” or “not
very safe.” This
compares to only 6% of fifth graders and 7% of tenth graders
who hold this view.
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Safe & Drug-Free Schools Report Table of Contents |
