Drugs in Schools - Latest Numbers are In

Surprising increase in the number of students who see drugs at school.

According to a press release from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, 80 percent of high schoolers, 44 percent of middle schoolers see drugs used, kept, sold, classmates drunk or high on school grounds. 8

These findings are from the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XII: Teens and Parents, the twelfth annual back-to-school survey conducted by CASA

And at least every week, 17 percent of all high and middle school students (4.4 million) personally see classmates high on drugs at school.

That comes to 11 million high school students are attending schools that are infested with Alcohol and other drugs.

The report goes on to say that teens who attend schools infested with drugs are:

• 16 times likelier to use an illegal Drug other than Marijuana or prescription drugs;
• 15 times likelier to abuse prescription drugs;
• six times likelier to get drunk at least monthly;
• five times likelier to use marijuana;
• four times likelier to smoke cigarettes;
• four times likelier to be able to buy marijuana within a day; and
• nearly six times likelier to be able to buy marijuana within an hour than students who attend drug-free schools.

Perhaps even more alarming is that compared to the same survey in 2002 the proportion of students who attend schools where drugs are used, kept or sold has jumped 39 percent for high school students and 63 percent for middle school students.

From 2006 to 2007 the proportion jumped 20 percent for high school students and 35 percent for middle school students.

There needs to be more drug education done from elementary school levels on up. And parents have to become more involved in the whole drug prevention process.

Another recent finding is that as the number of family dinners participated in by youngsters on a weekly basis goes up, the likelihood of that kid using drugs goes significantly down!

So, although the news isn’t good, there is something we can do about the trend. Encourage participation by parents in the lives of their sons and daughters. The more parents are involved, the lower the chance of drug involvement in their families.  

And insist on solid drug education and prevention efforts in the schools and at home.