A Statewide Survey of Drug and Alcohol Use Among California Students in Grades 7, 9, and 11

This report summarizes the findings of a survey of drug and alcohol use among 7th, 9th and 11th grade students enrolled in public secondary schools in California. The survey was sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General in recognition that drug and alcohol use are closely associated with crime and other law enforcement problems. Within this perspective, prevention of drug and alcohol use by children and adolescents becomes an essential first stage of crime prevention. The survey is the first attempt in the State of california to determine the nature and extent of drug and alcohol use by students in secondary schools. The survey assessed how often students used a variety of psychoactive substances as well as the age of first use and intoxication. It also assessed various student attitudes and experiences related to the use of such substances. The latter included attitudes of friends and parents about the use of alcohol or other drugs, the number of adults the student knows Who use alcohol or drugs, and the student\u27s perception of the harmfulness of regular alcohol and marijuana use. The students also provided information about alcohol and drug prevention classes they had taken as a part of the regular school curriculum