California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer has released the results of the 10th Biennial California Student Survey (CSS), which shows decreases in tobacco, drug and alcohol use by students in the seventh, ninth and 11th grades during 2003 and 2004.
"This is good news. Not only is the number of 11th graders who are described as ‘heavy users' declining for the first time since 1999, the survey shows that the rate of abstinence among seventh and ninth graders is at an all-time high," Lockyer said. "Research tells us the longer teens delay their substance use, the better chance they have of not becoming regular users of illicit drugs or engaging in risky behavior."
Among the 2003-2004 findings, the CSS indicates the rise in substance use seen during the early- and mid-1990s appears to have ended, with use in some key areas declining or remaining stable. Fewer students reported consuming alcohol and, to a lesser extent, using marijuana during the six months prior to taking the survey.
In the six months prior to taking the survey, alcohol use by seventh graders dropped 3 percentage points, from 29 percent to 26 percent, but remained relatively stable for ninth and 11th graders. Drug use remained steady at about 13% for seventh graders, but dropped two percentage points (from 25.4 percent to 23.3 percent) among ninth graders, and almost five percentage points (from 38.7 percent to 33.9 percent).
During the six months prior to the survey, fewer students reported using marijuana, which remains the most used substance following alcohol. Six percent of seventh graders, down from 7.2 percent, and 18.8 percent of ninth graders, down from 19.3 percent reported using marijuana during the past six months. Among 11th graders, the number dropped almost 4 percentage points, from 34 percent to 30.5 percent.
The survey also shows a drop during the six months prior to the survey in use by older students of Ecstasy, or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a drug popular among teens at all-night dance parties known as "raves."
"Surveys like the California Student Survey help us direct our precious dollars," said Kathryn P. Jett, director of the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. "Based on the results of the last survey, we focused our efforts on reducing Ecstasy use by launching a public awareness campaign and we are pleased that fewer students are using Ecstasy."
The 2003-2004 CSS reports rates of abstinence, or no alcohol or drug use, are at the highest levels ever for all three grades: 70 percent of seventh graders, 49 percent of ninth graders and 35 percent of 11th graders have not used any alcohol or drugs in the past six months prior to the survey.
"The increased rate of abstinence is especially encouraging, " said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "The Department of Education is committed to recommending proven, science-based prevention programs and positive youth development activities to our schools. We'd like to believe these programs have helped produce these encouraging results."