BONYUN, ROSEMARY
Survey of Drug Use in an Ottawa Board High School, January, 1981.
American Mental Health Counselors Association Journal; v2 n1 p38-45 Jan 1980
In an Ottawa high school, a committee of staff and student representatives explored drug use in the school. A questionnaire was developed to assess student perception of academic performance and extracurricular involvement; students' frequency of drug use during the previous two months for nine categories of drugs; time and place of use and source of drugs; and student opinions of the degree of harmfulness of various drugs and their reasons for using drugs. Questionnaires were completed by 1230 high school students during the 1980-81 school year. Results revealed that alcohol was the most frequently used substance, followed by marijuana, LSD, and cocaine. Use of angel dust, heroin, and solvents was rarely reported. Use of alcohol, marijuana, and LSD increased sharply between grades 9 and 11 but little after that. Friends or relatives were reported to be the most frequent source of drugs, while nearly half of the users had obtained drugs from a dealer at least some of the time. Students rated alcohol and marijuana at least harmful; cigarettes, drugs from a drugstore, cocaine, solvents, LSD, heroin, and angel dust were ranked in a 'more' to 'most' harmful order. Sex differences in drug use were not statistically significant. Comparisons with earlier studies suggest that high school students in 1970, 1977, and 1981 are in general agreement about the harmfulness of certain drugs. (NRB)
Conard S; Hughes P; Baldwin DC Jr; Achenbach KE; Sheehan DV
Substance use by fourth-year students at 13 U.S. medical schools.
J MED EDUC; 1988 Oct; 63(10); P 747-58
Fourth-year medical students at 13 medical schools in different regions of the United States received an anonymous questionnaire designed to examine their current and prior use of 11 substances and their attitudes toward substance use among physicians. Of 1,427 questionnaires distributed, 41 percent were returned. The questionnaire and distribution method were derived from an ongoing survey on drug use in order to permit comparison of the medical students with a national sample of age- and sex-matched cohorts. The rates of substance use during the 30 days preceding receipt of the questionnaire were: alcohol, 87.8 percent; marijuana, 17.3 percent; cigarettes, 9.0 percent; cocaine, 5.6 percent; heroin, 0.0 percent; other opiates, 0.9 percent; LSD, 0.2 percent; other psychedelics, 0.5 percent; barbiturates, 0.5 percent; tranquilizers, 2.2 percent; and amphetamines, 1.2 percent. Compared with their age and sex cohorts nationally, the medical students reported less use of marijuana, cocaine, cigarettes, LSD, barbiturates, and amphetamines. However, their use of other opiates was approximately the same and their use of tranquilizers and alcohol was slightly higher than that of the other cohorts. Data on their sources of knowledge about drug abuse indicate the need for greater attention to this issue in the medical curriculum.
CONARD, SCOTT; AND OTHERS
Substance Use by Fourth-Year Students at 13 U.S. Medical Schools.
Journal of Medical Education; v63 n10 p747-58 Oct 1988
A study investigated drug use by fourth-year medical students in 13 schools and compared drug use patterns with those of an age- and sex-matched cohort. Medical students reported less use of marijuana, cocaine, cigarettes, LSD, barbiturates, and amphetamines, similar use of opiates, and slightly more use of tranquilizers and alcohol. (MSE)
JOHNSTON, LLOYD D; AND OTHERS
Drug Use among American High School Students, College Students, and Other Young Adults. National Trends Through 1985.
Journal of Chemical Education; v62 n4 p328-31 Apr 1985
Drug use and related attitudes of U.S. high school seniors from the graduating classes of 1975-1985 and young adults in their late teens and early- to mid-twenties were studied, as part of an ongoing research project. Eleven classes of drugs were assessed: marijuana (including hashish), inhalants, hallucinogens, cocaine, heroin, other natural and synthetic opiates, stimulants (amphetamines), sedatives, tranquilizers, alcohol, and cigarettes. Several subclasses of drugs were also covered: PCP and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), amyl and butyl nitrites, and barbiturates and methaqualone. Attention was focused on drug use at the higher frequency levels rather than whether respondents had ever used various drugs. Of concern were: age of first use; the seniors' own attitudes and beliefs; and the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of others in the seniors' social environment, including perceived drug availability. The use of non-prescription stimulants, including diet pills, stay-awake pills, and pseudo-amphetamines were also reported, along with cocaine use among young people. Findings include sex differences in drug use, differences related to college plans, regional differences, and differences related to population density. The implications of findings for prevention efforts were addressed. (SW)
JOHNSTON, LLOYD D; AND OTHERS
Use of Licit and Illicit Drugs by America's High School Students, 1975-1984.
Journal of Chemical Education; v62 n4 p328-31 Apr 1985
Two of the major topics treated in this report are the current prevalence of drug use among American high school seniors, and trends in use since 1975. Also reported are data on school grade of first use, trends in use at earlier grade levels, intensity of drug use, attitudes and beliefs among seniors concerning various types of drug use, and their perceptions of certain relevant aspects of the social environment. The eleven separate classes of drugs distinguished are marijuana (including hashish), inhalants, hallucinogens, cocaine, heroin, natural and synthetic opiates other than heroin, stimulants, sedatives, tranquilizers, alcohol, and cigarettes. Separate statistics are also presented here for several sub-classes of drugs: PCP and LSD, barbiturates and methaqualone, and amyl and butyl nitrites. Occasions of medically supervised use of the psychotherapeutic drugs were excluded. Attention was focused on high frequency levels of drug use and an indirect measure of dosage per occasion was introduced to differentiate levels of drug use. The 'Other Findings' section includes data on the use of non-prescription stimulants, daily marijuana use, effects of post high school environments and role transitions on drug use, and the issue of distinguishing maturational change from period effects and class cohort differences. Findings are supported by numerous tables. (Author/MCK)
LEIKIN JB; KRANTZ AJ; ZELL-KANTER M; BARKIN RL; HRYHORCZUK DO
Clinical features and management of intoxication due to hallucinogenicdrugs.
Med Toxicol Adverse Drug Exp. 1989 Sep-Oct. 4(5). P 324-50.
Hallucinogenic drugs are unique in that they produce the desired hallucinogenic effects at what are considered non-toxic doses. The hallucinogenic drugs can be categorised into 4 basic groups: indole alkaloid derivatives, piperidine derivatives, phenylethylamines and the cannabinols. The drugs reviewed include lysergic acid diethylamide(LSD), phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, marijuana, psilocybin, mescaline, and 'designer drugs.' Particularly noteworthy is that each hallucinogen produces characteristic behavioural effects which are related to its serotonergic, dopaminergic or adrenergic activity. Cocaine produces simple hallucinations, PCP can produce complex hallucinations analogous to a paranoid psychosis, while LSD produces a combination of hallucinations, pseudohallucinations and illusions. Dose relationships with changes in the quality of the hallucinatory experience have been described with amphetamines and, to some extent, LSD. Flashbacks have been described with LSD and alcohol. Management of the intoxicated patient is dependent on the specific behavioural manifestation elicited by the drug. The principles involve [] differentiating the patient's symptoms from organic (medical or toxicological) and psychiatric aetiologies and identifying the symptom complex associated with the particular drug. Panic reactions may require treatment with a benzodiazepine or haloperidol. Patients with LSD psychosis may require an antipsychotic. Patients exhibiting prolonged drug-induced psychosis may require a variety of treatments including ECT, lithium and l-5-hydroxytryptophan. Refs: 233.
MACDONALD, PATRICK T
The 'Dope' on Soaps
Journal of Drug Education; 1983, 13, 4, 359-369.
Entertainment television has recently been at the center of a raging controversy concerning its effects on the viewer; however, analyses have focused on prime time television. Thus, while the intimate details of nighttime drug use are known, there has been no investigation of daytime drug taking. Interview data from a sample of long-time soap opera viewers (number of cases = 165) are used to examine the context, motives, & consequences of drug use in the daytime serials via in-depth analysis of reported portrayals of 8 drug categories-alcohol, tobacco, tranquilizers, amphetamines, marijuana, LSD, cocaine, & heroin. Potential effects of these television portrayals on public drug awareness & implications for education efforts are explored.
MARCOS, ANASTASIOS C; JOHNSON, RICHARD E
Cultural Patterns and Causal Processes in Adolescent Drug Use: The Case of Greeks versus Americans
International Journal of the Addictions; 1988, 23, 6, 545-572.
Questionnaire data collected in 1984/85 are used to compare patterns of drug use among Greek & US adolescents (N = 174 & 2,610, respectively). The rates of self-reported lifetime alcohol & cigarette use are rather similar. Other drugs (marijuana, amphetamines, depressants, cocaine, LSD, PCP, & heroin) were used much more frequently in the US. A causal model employing variables from social control & social learning theories is applied to drug use in both samples. It is concluded that US theories of adolescent deviance assume certain cultural conditions, & therefore may need revision before they can be fruitfully applied to the behavior of young people in other cultures.
MORENO, STEVE
[Parenting Information: Drugs. Informacion Para los Padres: Sobre las Drojas.]
American Mental Health Counselors Association Journal; v2 n1 p38-45 Jan 1980
These two booklets provide basic information about drugs and drug abuse and are part of a series of 22 booklets, designed specifically to help parents understand their children and help them to learn. 'Let's Talk about Drug Abuse,' (booklet #18), reviews foreign substances or drugs young people are often exposed to (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, hallucinogens, PCP, and cocaine) and describes how their usage can affect one's future. 'Parents--Learn about Drugs' (booklet #5), specifies the various kinds of drugs (i.e., glue, pills, marijuana, LSD, and heroin) and pinpoints their potential damage to the body and to the mind. The booklets are written with the same text in both English and Spanish, are easy to read, and include illustrations. (MP)
NELSEN, HART M; ROONEY, JAMES F
Fire and Brimstone, Lager and Pot: Religious Involvement and Substance Use
Sociological Analysis; 1982, 43, 3, fall, 247-255.
Questionnaire data from nearly 5,000 high school seniors from 6 states in the northeastern region of the United States are analyzed using religious preference & attendance to predict substance use (hard liquor, beer, marijuana, amphetamines, barbiturates, heroin, LSD, & cocaine). It was hypothesized that: (1) denomination & attendance would be significantly related to alcohol use & that an interaction would occur between these 2 predictors, (2) church attendance would have special impact within proscriptive denominations, & (3) for harder drugs, church attendance would be inversely related with use. Analysis-of-variance & multiple-classification analysis were employed. Weekly use & having ever used the substance were tested for alcohol & marijuana, & having ever used the substance, for hard drugs. The data support the hypotheses.
Primavera, Louis H; Pascal, Robert
A comparison of male users and nonusers of marijuana on the perceived harmfulness of drugs.
American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse; 1986 Mar-Jun Vol 12(1-2) 71-77
Examined the perceptions of nonprofessionals (i.e., not involved in drug research or treatment programs) with regard to the harmfulness of illicit drugs. 108 male volunteers (aged 19-35 yrs), who expected to smoke marihuana during the study, were asked to rate the harmfulness of a number of illicit drugs, including marihuana. Ss composed 3 groups: naive users, light users, and heavy users. Groups did not differ in terms of their perceived harmfulness of any of the drugs. Cluster analyses indicated 3 distinct clusters for the total group: The drugs perceived to be most harmful were heroin, morphine, and LSD; drugs perceived to be less harmful were cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, and nicotine; drugs perceived least harmful were caffeine and marihuana, with marihuana being judged the least harmful of all drugs. (20 ref)
VALOIS, ROBERT F
Student Drug Use and Driving: A University Sample.
Journal of Chemical Education; v62 n4 p328-31 Apr 1985
A survey of 857 students at a large midwestern university provided information regarding the frequency and type of drugs used by students at any time and shortly before driving. The drugs most frequently used at least once in the prior year were alcohol, marijauna, caffeine, and nicotine. Significant association was found between alcohol use shortly before or while driving and the variables of moving violations, accidents, age, sex, driving experience in years and class rank. Significant association was also found between driving under the effects of marijauna and variables of sex, number of miles driven per year, frequency of driving, accidents and moving violations, as well as between alcohol use and marijuana use shortly before or while driving. Narcotic use as well as LSD, chemical vapors, cocaine and barbituates did not appear to be major factors in regard to substance use shortly before or while driving by college students in this study. It is suggested that educational programs should emphasize the effects of drugs on driving ability. Several tables provide statistical analyses of the data. (JD)