Survey: Drug use increases in U.S. schools

A Columbia University study suggests 16 million U.S. high school and middle school students attend drug-infested schools.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse in New York said that means 80 percent of all U.S. high school students and 44 percent of middle school pupils have witnessed illegal drug use, drug dealing, or drug possession while attending classes.

The 12th annual CASA survey released Thursday found since 2002 the proportion of students attending schools where drugs are used, kept or sold increased 39 percent for high school students and 63 percent for middle school students.

The back-to-school survey suggests teenagers are much more likely to smoke, drink and use drugs when their parents do not take steps to limit what they are exposed to in movies, television and music, as well as on the Internet.

The national random sample telephone survey was conducted April 2-May 13 among 1,063 12- to 17-year olds (554 boys, 509 girls) and 550 parents, 53 percent of whom were parents of teens surveyed. The survey had a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percent for teens and 4 percent for parents.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International