NCJ Number
210166
Date Published
November 2004
Length
157 pages
Annotation
Findings from a 2004 statewide survey of 45, 119 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students in Arizona pertain to their alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; antisocial behaviors; and risk and protective factors for substance abuse and other problem behaviors.
Abstract
Overall, survey findings indicate that Arizona middle-school and high-school students used alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs at levels similar to or higher than current national rates for this age group. Since 2002, when the last Arizona youth survey was conducted, 30-day use rates have decreased somewhat in all grades for alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, and any drug. The only substance use that increased in all grades was stimulants, and these increases were small. Although lifetime and past-month rates of alcohol use showed significant decreases since the 2002 survey, alcohol-use rates continued to be higher than the national average for the age group surveyed. Parental attitudes toward drug use heavily influenced the attitudes and behavior of children. School safety was found to be an emerging issue, as rates of attacking with the intent to harm increased in all grades for the past year and in a student's lifetime; and the perceived acceptability of physically hurting someone also increased. Compared to 2002 results, increases in safety issues were found for all four school safety indicators. 30 tables and 35 figures