Student drug use still high

Steve Fanning

The results of a 1998 survey confirms the high rates of drug use among students reported in a similar survey conducted in 1996.

The highest incidence of drug use was with alcohol. Fifty-three per cent of students used alcohol and the rate of use was higher among females.

Tobacco and cannabis were the second highest rates, at 27 and 22 per cent respectively.

The survey was randomly given to 2851 students in grades seven, eight, nine, 10 and 12.

Some of the more surprising statistics were the use of magic mushrooms, inhalants and non prescription stimulants, all at seven per cent.

The use of these drugs has increased slightly since 1996 according to the survey conducted by the Department of Health and Social Services. The next survey has been scheduled for this year. No one from the department was available for comment.

The accuracy of the survey may have been jeopardized because the students, especially the younger ones, may not have taken the survey seriously. What is certain is that students rarely report using tobacco, cannabis or other drugs without drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is one of the most easily accepted drugs in society. Its rate of use rises from 17 per cent in Grade 7 to 78 per cent in Grade 12. Drinking alcohol is most common if friends also use it, if none of their friends drink, only 3 per cent of students reported drinking.

"It really bothers me when my friends drink," writes a Grade 10 student who filled out the survey. "The only people who are usually sober at our parties is me and my friend, sometimes I have a sip of alcohol but I believe that's just because everybody else is doing."

In the course of a year 36 per cent of students with a driver's licence drive within an hour of drinking two or more drinks of alcohol.

Cannabis use, like alcohol, rises as students get older. Overall 22 per cent of students reported using cannabis at least once during the 12 months before the survey and seven per cent are frequent users of the drug.

"I use drugs every day, mostly I just get a piece of hash, but ocassionly (sic) I like oil. Drugs definatly (sic) affected my school work, but I don't want to stop getting high, I just like it too much. I could quit if I wanted to," wrote another Grade 10 student.

The use of cannabis is increasing in all grades surveyed. There is little difference between the sexes, 22 per cent of males and 19 per cent of females.

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