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2006 Student Drug Use Survey
2006 Student Drug Use Survey
SHOWS CHANGES IN ATTITUDE, POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT
LEAD TO FEWER YOUTH DRUG USERS
Available Youth Use Summary Pages:
Click on picture or title below to view two-page summaries for selected topic that include demographic breakouts, perception of harm, impact of use, risk and protective factors, and use of other drugs by topic.
County Level Data
Regional data is available for the 5 Ohio counties that participated in the survey:
Data Release Community Announcement:
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COALITION
2006 STUDENT DRUG USE SURVEY
CINCINNATI, OH- The Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati's 2006 Student Drug Use Survey data indicates that one-third fewer seventh through twelfth graders are regular users of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs in 2006 than in 2000.
Data from 52,203 seventh through twelfth grade students across the tri-state region reveal that regular use rates, defined as the percent of youth who report having used at least once in the past 30 days, continue to decline. Since the Coalition's first implementation of the Survey in 2000:
- Beer use is down 28%
- Tobacco use is down by 33%
- Marijuana use is down by 27%
“The Coalition is excited to share this news of a continuing decline in adolescent drug use,” said
The greatest reductions in youth initiation into drug use are occurring in the middle school years. In fact, between 2004 and 2006, there is a 25% reduction in the number of youth who are trying drugs for the first time. Data reveals that 41% of youth who experiment with drugs in this time period will become regular users by the ninth grade. The reduction in initiation rates leads to overall reductions in regular use in the ninth through twelfth grades.
Data indicates that continued reductions can also be attributed to important shifts in attitude, policy and enforcement. Between 2004 and 2006 there is a 3% increase in the number of youth who report that their parents disapprove of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Further, there is an 8% increase in the number of youth who report that their peers disapprove of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use.
Regarding policy change, more schools are establishing rules around drug use and consequences for breaking these rules. There is a 5% increase in the number of youth saying that their school is setting clear rules around alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Eleven percent more students report that their schools enforce drug policies.
The enforcement of such policies is a key step in creating this shift. Although the data indicate student use is declining, data shows a 7% increase in the number of students reporting that they have been caught using and 6% more students reported that they “got into trouble” when they were caught using.
David Stelzer, Chairman of the Coalition Board, reminds us that, “While the sustained decline in adolescent drug use is good news, there is reason for continued, intensive prevention efforts in the home school and community. While fewer kids are initiating use - those who do use are initiating use early and suffering severe consequences as a result of their use.”
The average age that a child first uses alcohol, tobacco or other drugs remains around 12 years of age in Greater Cincinnati. One in five students report having drunk beer within the past month, and when they drink, they report they are drinking to get drunk. Also, approximately one in seven are regular users of tobacco, and nearly one in ten regularly use marijuana. Regular users of alcohol and marijuana are:
- Three times more likely to miss school
- Four times more likely to cause harm to their parents
- Eight times more likely to carry a gun outside of school, participate in gang activities and get into trouble with the police
- Nine times more likely to carry a gun when in school
“It is critical to recognize that our community still has too many kids putting themselves at risk by regularly using alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. There is still work to be done. Even one young user is one too many,” said Stelzer.
“The 2006 data results show us that a collaborative approach to prevention works and most importantly, that a majority of kids are not using drugs. However, the community must continue to enhance its efforts to aggressively address the risk factors youth are exposed to and to send the message that there is significant harm associated with use of drugs by young people. As a community, we have a duty to protect youth from the dangers of drugs“ said James.
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