NCJ Number
223018
Journal
Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education Volume: 52 Issue: 1 Dated: April 2008 Pages: 80-91
Date Published
April 2008
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Interviews conducted with 95 teachers at 10 randomly selected schools in County Carlow in southeast Ireland focused on their views, concerns, and experiences of student substance use and its impact in the classroom.
Abstract
The majority of teachers reported that substance use among adolescents was increasing, accompanied by increased behavioral problems, student withdrawal, truancy, reduced ability to concentrate, poor academic performance, and classroom disruption. The teachers generally perceived that students' increasing drug use was due to increased access to a wider variety of substances, youths' perception that alcohol and cannabis use were socially acceptable, reduced drug prices, and youth having more disposable income from part-time employment. Teachers reported that the most popular drugs among youth were alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and amphetamines. All of the teachers noted the prevalence of alcohol abuse at a young age and the social acceptability of drinking in the Irish culture. Regarding prevention efforts, the teachers reported that drug education in schools was not well-planned, uniform, and coordinated. Some teachers reported that they were not comfortable with providing drug education in their classes due to their lack of appropriate training and lack of time set aside in the curriculum. The schools included in the study were vocational schools, secondary schools in disadvantaged and nondisadvantaged areas, a youth training center, a private school, and both mixed-sex and single-sex schools. 15 references