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, HIGH ON
SCHOOL GROUNDS
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 At least
once a week, according to the survey, 31 percent of high school students (more
than four million) and nine percent of middle school students (more than one
million) see illegal drugs used, sold, students high and/or students drunk.
And at least
e very 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.
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