International Journal of the Addictions
ISSN: 0020-773X (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/isum19
Surveys of Drug Use among Young People Herbert H. Blumberg To cite this article: Herbert H. Blumberg (1975) Surveys of Drug Use among Young People, International Journal of the Addictions, 10:4, 699-719, DOI: 10.3109/10826087509026745 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826087509026745
Published online: 03 Jul 2009.
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Citing articles: 4 View citing articles
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Date: 04 April 2016, At: 03:09
The International Journal of the Addictions, 10(4), pp. 699-719, 1975
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
Surveys of Drug Use among Young People Herbert H. Blumberg, Ph.D. Addiction Research Unit Institute of Psychiatry University of London London, England
The results of over 50 pre-1970 American surveys, mostly of undergraduates and secondary-school students, have been summarized in tabular form by Berg (1971). Additional studies of relevance have been cited by Einstein and Allen (1973) and in bibliographies by Advena (1972) and Pearlman (1969). Since Berg’s work the results of dozens of additional surveys have been published in the journals of a variety of disciplines, and it is not always easy to retrieve the materials, much less to integrate their findings. The present review cites the main findings of a variety of recent surveys. If one examines Berg’s (1971) tables and excludes studies with exceptionally low response rates or unrepresentative samples, the approximate ranges, among secondary-school students, for rates of drug use (“ever tried”) were : 9 % (1967 females in San Mateo County, California) to 42 % (1969 males, same county) for marijuana, 2 to 7 % LSD, 3 to 15% barbi699 Copyright 0 1975 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Neither this work nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
BLUMBERG
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
700
turates (as tabulated for only a few studies), and 1 to 4 % opiates. Corresponding figures for undergraduates: 23 to 59 ?( for marijuana (lower in one or two studies), mostly 4 to 5 % LSD, 7 to 26 % amphetamines (only a few samples), 1 to 12 % barbiturates, and 1 to 4% opiate-type drugs. The main results of a variety of American, British, and Canadian studies are summarized in Table 1 (secondary school and younger) and Table 2 (college and university). At the time of these studies, users in most secondary schools still constituted a minority group who (more often than nonusers in some samples) were regarded as troublemakers at school and given lower grades, whereas users in some colleges and universities were close to becoming a majority and were doing comparatively well in their studies. It seems clear that prevalences can increase (or decrease) markedly in a relatively short time (e.g., see Tables 3 and 4, and see Harris, 1973), and that there is no single pattern of correlates with drug use.
CROSS-NATIONAL CONTRASTS No one seems to have attempted comprehensive international tabulation of survey results (which would entail the translation of papers written in a variety of languages) though some international data have been provided by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (1973). Surveys of student populations have been carried out in a number of countries. A selected list would include Australia (George, 1972; Mitchell et al., 1970), Austria (Kern and Lenz, 1972), Belgium (Casselman, 1972), Chile (Gomberoff et al., 1972), Finland (Hemminki et al., 1972), Israel (Yaglom, 1971), Netherlands (Buikhuisen and Timmerman, 1970), Poland (alcohol: Swiecicki, 1967; Leowski et al., 1968), Sweden (contrasted with Norway, Denmark, and Finland: Rexed, 1972), and West Germany (Anonymous, 1972, Taschner and Wanke, 1972). It seems fair to say that the diversity of patterns (of prevalence and correlates) across nations appears t o be commensurate with the diversity across samples already shown in Tables 1 and 2. The tendency to treat drug use as a criminal activity rather than as a “medical problem” or simply a social phenomenon does persist in many countries, though particular drugs are treated in different ways depending on the country. To take a single example, among the Meo of Laos (a tribal group of Asian mountaineers) opium is freely available, smoked by about 10% of the group, and generally neither leads to addiction nor interferes with ability to work (Westermeyer, 1971).
Hager et al., 1971 ( 1969)
Wiener, 1970 (1968)
Mauss, 1969
Fejer et al., 1972; Smart and Fejer 1971, 1972 (1968, 1970)
San Mateo County, 1972 (1968 to 1972) Wright, 1968
Author and year" See Table 4
Usersb
( % of sample)
Use of any substance tends to correlate with use of any other
Correlates and other findings
313 4th year pupils, 3 Wolverhampton schools
~
(continued)
Apparently about 6 % had tried a drug, amphetamines rather more than cannabis Sex: more males (diminishing trend). Higher Random selection of Toronto See Table 3 rates if parents born in the United Kingdom classes; about 6,500 each and if religion is Jewish or none. More year. Cites other Canadian middle and upper class. Living arrangement: studies lower if with both parents, higher if sibs use. School : lower performance, fewer organized activities. Parental drug use (especially maternal): strong relationship with use of tobacco, alcohol, other drugs 459 seniors at 3 high schools, Under 25 % had tried a drug Northern California No marked sex difference. Drug takers were 1,093 students (ages 14 to 17 6 to 10% (mostly pep pills older, higher social class, more unsure about years) in selected London and hashish) plans or planning to leave school schools 4,220 junior and senior high Marijuana from 5 % (13 years More for males, higher socioeconomic class (except opiates/cocaine); school (e.g., marijuana and younger) to 22 % (17 school students (81 % of 3 times more likely in schools in professionalenrollment in 3 American years and older). Hallucinmanagerial than blue-collar communities); use nogens 3 % to 10%. Ammidwest communities) of any drug correlates significantly with use of phetamines 3 "/, to 11 %. any other Opiates or cocaine 3 %
About 20,000 per year
Sample
Table 1 Recent Student Surveys (Secondary School and Younger)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
a
4
56,745, all junior and senior high school students in Dallas. Cites surveys from 38 recent studies
1,704 high school students in a middle/upper class town near New York City (94% of those attending)
4,101, grades 6 to 12, public (state) schools in southeast Michigan
264 seniors in a public (state) high school (Texas?)
Tec, 1971, 1972
Cowan and Roth, 1972
Blumenfield et al., 1972
Sample
Gossett et al., 1971 (1969)
Author and yeara
Correlates and other findings
Alcohol most used, tobacco and marijuana, next (marijuana 17 %, over half of these use at least once a week) Marijuana 20 %, Darvon 7 %, LSD/mescaline/peyote 6 % each, amphetamines 5 %, codeine/barbiturates 4 ”/, , ” each, glue (sniffing)/heroin 2 % each
1%
Drug (marijuana) users suspended more often, fewer extracurricular activities, lower grades. Family: less close and less likely to be 2-parents intact. Religion: attend less. See more need for social change Academic performance : no different. Religion : less devout. Less close to families. More likely to believe some laws are unjust. Trouble in school more likely. Sexual experience more likely. “In some cases, drugs used to deal with emotional difficulties”
28 % any illicit drug, 8 % over Main source of introduction: peers. High correlation between socioeconomic status of 10 times. Cannabis lo%, tobacco 40%, LSD about school and proportion of drug users 5 %, alcohol over 50 %. All drugs : heavy current use under 1 % except alcohol (1 % 7th grade to 4 % senior year) and marijuana (I % 10th grade to 3 % seniors) LSD, 5 % (would like to try), Parents would be angry to discover use, but moderate use would not affect friendship with 2 % (used once), 8 % (more peers. Use relates to dissatisfaction with the than once). Speed, 3, 5 and educational system 6%. Cannabis, 8 , s and 25 %. Heroin, 0.5, 0.5, and
(% of sample)
Usersb
Table 1 (continued)
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8
4
62 % alcohol at least occasionally, 26 % tobacco, about 20% marijuana (about 76 % could obtain it “if wanted”) 1,298 high school students in 2 4 % had used an illegal drug at least once Florida 32 % any drug use ever. For 2,809 Glasgow residents, 1 1 those still in school 23 % to 24 years of age, of whom 503 were in (second(mostly just occasional use). For those still in ary or earlier) school school : 13 % cannabis, 13 % LSD, 9 % amphetaminesibarbiturates, 1 % heroin
Population from 6 senior high schools, Milwaukee area
Various personality and attitude variables
Reason most often given for continued drug usage was “escape”
Year of survey is typically 2 years prior to publication date (and in some cases is given in parentheses). Unless otherwise specified, use generally excludes tobacco and alcohol, and percentages are for “ever tried.” Percentages are of the total sample.
a
Lombillo and Hain, 1972 Fish and Wells, 1973
Jackson et al., 1972
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
4 P 0
Binnie and Murdock, 1969
DeFleur and Garrett, 1970 (1968)
Pearlman, 1969
Herz. 1968
Author and year“
Usersb
( % of sample)
. . . a means of getting away from tensions. The present was considered more important than the future. Many alluded t o a hopeless world . . . Lack of credulity in the older generation.” No relation with age, sex, marital status, or grade achievement. Friends are usual source of supPIY
“
Correlates and other findings
55 % of Brooklyn college seniors, N = 1,245; plus summary of previous literature
6 % had used marijuana (only 1/3 of these using currently), much smaller number for opiates/psychedelics/barbiturates No relation with sex, academic class standing, 163, 2 random groups. Table Marijuana 38 %. Other surveys (marijuana ever) : of 14 other campus surveys self-identification, socioeconomic status, nor 1965-1967 range from 6 t o major field 23% (12% median); 19681969 range from 13 t o 29% (21 % median) 2,400, postal survey with 50 % 10 % ever used any drug. Of Sex (55 % of males used, 35 % of females), high these: 26% pep pills only, response rate, university socioeconomic status, religion (none), political 58 % pot (with or without and college of further eduviews (left), academic work self-estimate pep pills), 1 1 % LSD (with cation, English midland (higher). No relation with: college vs univeror without pep/pot), 5 % sity, part-of-country from. Majority of users city opiates (with or without (except LSD) felt drug had n o lasting effect. LSD : more understanding of self and more in pep/pot/LSD) contact with reality (minority feel more unstable and afraid)
150 random sample of under- 26 % have used “some drugs” graduates at 3 eastern United States universities
Sample
Table 2 Recent Student Surveys (College and University)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
British provincial university samples of 153 admitted drug users (mostly cannabis) and a control group matched for sex/age/course
931 undergraduates at 5 universities (health education courses) in different parts of the United States
Toohey, 1971
Alcohol 78 to 92 % (range among 5 samples), marijuana 28 to 49% (usually weekends or parties; daily use 3 t o 7 7 3 , LSD and mescaline 2 t o 12 %, barbiturates 6 t o 16%, amphetamines 6 to 32 %, narcotics 0 to 4 %
-
zers, 1 1, 20 %; analgesics only, 8, 12%; none, 41, 36 %
antidepressants/tranquili-
(continued)
Using sample: from larger families, fewer from rural, higher university entrance age (employment in interim), more likely t o have failed at least one examination. No relation with socioeconomic class, parental separation, schoolleaving age. Different drugs had high incidences at different colleges
26,000, 9 universities and Marijuana 26 %, LSD 5 %, amphetamine 14% colleges, Denver area, 66 % response rate Current use of marijuana (or Five categories (current use, . . . , never use) 12,142 in 20 colleges in other illicit drug) 29% (of metropolitan New York show progressive differences o n a variety of area males), 22 % (of females) ; relevant attitudes/opinions past use only, 11, 10%; n o illicit drugs but had used amphetamines/barbiturates/
Hindmarch, 1970
Robbins et al., 1970 (1968)
Mizner et al., 1970 (1 968)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
4 Q\ 0
239 at a midwestern college, response rate 78 %, no bias due to sex/race/year in college
Grupp et al., 1971 (corrected by McCain et al., 1971)
9,000 at 7 British colleges Hawks et al., 1971 (1968/1969), reand universities (response survey (1969/1971) rates 39 to 73%, mean 61 %) Second survey at 2 of the 7 colleges (N = 570)
201 at a large western university (98 % response rate, interviews)
1970 overall review
560, deviance classes; plus
Sample
Garfield et al., 1971 (1969 followup of 19661967)
Goode, 1971
Author and yeara
Correlates and other findings
No linear relationship with academic grades Use in past 6 months 70 %. (which were highest for casual users) 42 % of American college students have tried marijuana at least once 19661967 marijuana used largely by a deviant group; 1969 occasional activity of a majority of the students Males, social science students, from larger com27 % marijuana. Of these : munities, see a lower risk (physical, psyhalf used 3 or more times, chological, etc.) in use 39 % used before entering college, 42 % expected to use again Original survey, cannabis 10 Second survey: use is higher for London, and for those who lived away from home prior to colto 39 % (more than 11 lege; school : more public, fewer grammar, times, 3 to 16%). Secondmore reported being regarded as troublemakers survey, 26% cannabis. Of at school. Moreseen psychiatrist ever. More these, 17 % had used amoffences (primarily traffic). More regular use of phetamines/hallucinogens tobacco and at an earlier age; past (but not but not opiates, 21 % present) alcohol use. Engage in political activi(mostly those with greater ties. Even more liberal or permissive views than use of cannabis) had used rest of sample. Less religious background. See opiates less worthwhileness in present academic course. Less empathy with parents. View drug effects as mere likely to be beneficial. More likely to favor legalization (as do a majority of entire sample). No significant relation with parental separation, number of A-levels, academic standing on entrance
Usersb
(% of sample)
Table 2 (continued)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
Kraus et a]., 1972 (1971)
Dorhoffer, 1972
Lilly, 1972
Thomas and Zingraff, 1972
47 % any drug. Of these, current use for just over half, 14 % frequent hard-drug usage
53 % marijuana. Of these, 20% were using more than once a week and 8 % had tried LSD 30 % marijuana. Of these, 3/4 had first use after college entrance and about half were still using 34% marijuana (2/3 of these more than 3 times)
41 % at least some illicit drug use (usually marijuana). Of these, 75 still using
Cannabis 47 % of students 1,556 students and alumni, and 1970 alumni, 26 % of Queens University, Ontario 1965 alumni. Of these, (72 % response rate) 74% never used any other drug. Tranquilizers, LSD, mescaline, amphetamines, opiates, and barbiturates each used by less than 7 % of total and student respondents
ISSN: 0020-773X (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/isum19
Surveys of Drug Use among Young People Herbert H. Blumberg To cite this article: Herbert H. Blumberg (1975) Surveys of Drug Use among Young People, International Journal of the Addictions, 10:4, 699-719, DOI: 10.3109/10826087509026745 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826087509026745
Published online: 03 Jul 2009.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 5
View related articles
Citing articles: 4 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=isum19 Download by: [McMaster University]
Date: 04 April 2016, At: 03:09
The International Journal of the Addictions, 10(4), pp. 699-719, 1975
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
Surveys of Drug Use among Young People Herbert H. Blumberg, Ph.D. Addiction Research Unit Institute of Psychiatry University of London London, England
The results of over 50 pre-1970 American surveys, mostly of undergraduates and secondary-school students, have been summarized in tabular form by Berg (1971). Additional studies of relevance have been cited by Einstein and Allen (1973) and in bibliographies by Advena (1972) and Pearlman (1969). Since Berg’s work the results of dozens of additional surveys have been published in the journals of a variety of disciplines, and it is not always easy to retrieve the materials, much less to integrate their findings. The present review cites the main findings of a variety of recent surveys. If one examines Berg’s (1971) tables and excludes studies with exceptionally low response rates or unrepresentative samples, the approximate ranges, among secondary-school students, for rates of drug use (“ever tried”) were : 9 % (1967 females in San Mateo County, California) to 42 % (1969 males, same county) for marijuana, 2 to 7 % LSD, 3 to 15% barbi699 Copyright 0 1975 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Neither this work nor any part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
BLUMBERG
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
700
turates (as tabulated for only a few studies), and 1 to 4 % opiates. Corresponding figures for undergraduates: 23 to 59 ?( for marijuana (lower in one or two studies), mostly 4 to 5 % LSD, 7 to 26 % amphetamines (only a few samples), 1 to 12 % barbiturates, and 1 to 4% opiate-type drugs. The main results of a variety of American, British, and Canadian studies are summarized in Table 1 (secondary school and younger) and Table 2 (college and university). At the time of these studies, users in most secondary schools still constituted a minority group who (more often than nonusers in some samples) were regarded as troublemakers at school and given lower grades, whereas users in some colleges and universities were close to becoming a majority and were doing comparatively well in their studies. It seems clear that prevalences can increase (or decrease) markedly in a relatively short time (e.g., see Tables 3 and 4, and see Harris, 1973), and that there is no single pattern of correlates with drug use.
CROSS-NATIONAL CONTRASTS No one seems to have attempted comprehensive international tabulation of survey results (which would entail the translation of papers written in a variety of languages) though some international data have been provided by the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (1973). Surveys of student populations have been carried out in a number of countries. A selected list would include Australia (George, 1972; Mitchell et al., 1970), Austria (Kern and Lenz, 1972), Belgium (Casselman, 1972), Chile (Gomberoff et al., 1972), Finland (Hemminki et al., 1972), Israel (Yaglom, 1971), Netherlands (Buikhuisen and Timmerman, 1970), Poland (alcohol: Swiecicki, 1967; Leowski et al., 1968), Sweden (contrasted with Norway, Denmark, and Finland: Rexed, 1972), and West Germany (Anonymous, 1972, Taschner and Wanke, 1972). It seems fair to say that the diversity of patterns (of prevalence and correlates) across nations appears t o be commensurate with the diversity across samples already shown in Tables 1 and 2. The tendency to treat drug use as a criminal activity rather than as a “medical problem” or simply a social phenomenon does persist in many countries, though particular drugs are treated in different ways depending on the country. To take a single example, among the Meo of Laos (a tribal group of Asian mountaineers) opium is freely available, smoked by about 10% of the group, and generally neither leads to addiction nor interferes with ability to work (Westermeyer, 1971).
Hager et al., 1971 ( 1969)
Wiener, 1970 (1968)
Mauss, 1969
Fejer et al., 1972; Smart and Fejer 1971, 1972 (1968, 1970)
San Mateo County, 1972 (1968 to 1972) Wright, 1968
Author and year" See Table 4
Usersb
( % of sample)
Use of any substance tends to correlate with use of any other
Correlates and other findings
313 4th year pupils, 3 Wolverhampton schools
~
(continued)
Apparently about 6 % had tried a drug, amphetamines rather more than cannabis Sex: more males (diminishing trend). Higher Random selection of Toronto See Table 3 rates if parents born in the United Kingdom classes; about 6,500 each and if religion is Jewish or none. More year. Cites other Canadian middle and upper class. Living arrangement: studies lower if with both parents, higher if sibs use. School : lower performance, fewer organized activities. Parental drug use (especially maternal): strong relationship with use of tobacco, alcohol, other drugs 459 seniors at 3 high schools, Under 25 % had tried a drug Northern California No marked sex difference. Drug takers were 1,093 students (ages 14 to 17 6 to 10% (mostly pep pills older, higher social class, more unsure about years) in selected London and hashish) plans or planning to leave school schools 4,220 junior and senior high Marijuana from 5 % (13 years More for males, higher socioeconomic class (except opiates/cocaine); school (e.g., marijuana and younger) to 22 % (17 school students (81 % of 3 times more likely in schools in professionalenrollment in 3 American years and older). Hallucinmanagerial than blue-collar communities); use nogens 3 % to 10%. Ammidwest communities) of any drug correlates significantly with use of phetamines 3 "/, to 11 %. any other Opiates or cocaine 3 %
About 20,000 per year
Sample
Table 1 Recent Student Surveys (Secondary School and Younger)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
a
4
56,745, all junior and senior high school students in Dallas. Cites surveys from 38 recent studies
1,704 high school students in a middle/upper class town near New York City (94% of those attending)
4,101, grades 6 to 12, public (state) schools in southeast Michigan
264 seniors in a public (state) high school (Texas?)
Tec, 1971, 1972
Cowan and Roth, 1972
Blumenfield et al., 1972
Sample
Gossett et al., 1971 (1969)
Author and yeara
Correlates and other findings
Alcohol most used, tobacco and marijuana, next (marijuana 17 %, over half of these use at least once a week) Marijuana 20 %, Darvon 7 %, LSD/mescaline/peyote 6 % each, amphetamines 5 %, codeine/barbiturates 4 ”/, , ” each, glue (sniffing)/heroin 2 % each
1%
Drug (marijuana) users suspended more often, fewer extracurricular activities, lower grades. Family: less close and less likely to be 2-parents intact. Religion: attend less. See more need for social change Academic performance : no different. Religion : less devout. Less close to families. More likely to believe some laws are unjust. Trouble in school more likely. Sexual experience more likely. “In some cases, drugs used to deal with emotional difficulties”
28 % any illicit drug, 8 % over Main source of introduction: peers. High correlation between socioeconomic status of 10 times. Cannabis lo%, tobacco 40%, LSD about school and proportion of drug users 5 %, alcohol over 50 %. All drugs : heavy current use under 1 % except alcohol (1 % 7th grade to 4 % senior year) and marijuana (I % 10th grade to 3 % seniors) LSD, 5 % (would like to try), Parents would be angry to discover use, but moderate use would not affect friendship with 2 % (used once), 8 % (more peers. Use relates to dissatisfaction with the than once). Speed, 3, 5 and educational system 6%. Cannabis, 8 , s and 25 %. Heroin, 0.5, 0.5, and
(% of sample)
Usersb
Table 1 (continued)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
8
4
62 % alcohol at least occasionally, 26 % tobacco, about 20% marijuana (about 76 % could obtain it “if wanted”) 1,298 high school students in 2 4 % had used an illegal drug at least once Florida 32 % any drug use ever. For 2,809 Glasgow residents, 1 1 those still in school 23 % to 24 years of age, of whom 503 were in (second(mostly just occasional use). For those still in ary or earlier) school school : 13 % cannabis, 13 % LSD, 9 % amphetaminesibarbiturates, 1 % heroin
Population from 6 senior high schools, Milwaukee area
Various personality and attitude variables
Reason most often given for continued drug usage was “escape”
Year of survey is typically 2 years prior to publication date (and in some cases is given in parentheses). Unless otherwise specified, use generally excludes tobacco and alcohol, and percentages are for “ever tried.” Percentages are of the total sample.
a
Lombillo and Hain, 1972 Fish and Wells, 1973
Jackson et al., 1972
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
4 P 0
Binnie and Murdock, 1969
DeFleur and Garrett, 1970 (1968)
Pearlman, 1969
Herz. 1968
Author and year“
Usersb
( % of sample)
. . . a means of getting away from tensions. The present was considered more important than the future. Many alluded t o a hopeless world . . . Lack of credulity in the older generation.” No relation with age, sex, marital status, or grade achievement. Friends are usual source of supPIY
“
Correlates and other findings
55 % of Brooklyn college seniors, N = 1,245; plus summary of previous literature
6 % had used marijuana (only 1/3 of these using currently), much smaller number for opiates/psychedelics/barbiturates No relation with sex, academic class standing, 163, 2 random groups. Table Marijuana 38 %. Other surveys (marijuana ever) : of 14 other campus surveys self-identification, socioeconomic status, nor 1965-1967 range from 6 t o major field 23% (12% median); 19681969 range from 13 t o 29% (21 % median) 2,400, postal survey with 50 % 10 % ever used any drug. Of Sex (55 % of males used, 35 % of females), high these: 26% pep pills only, response rate, university socioeconomic status, religion (none), political 58 % pot (with or without and college of further eduviews (left), academic work self-estimate pep pills), 1 1 % LSD (with cation, English midland (higher). No relation with: college vs univeror without pep/pot), 5 % sity, part-of-country from. Majority of users city opiates (with or without (except LSD) felt drug had n o lasting effect. LSD : more understanding of self and more in pep/pot/LSD) contact with reality (minority feel more unstable and afraid)
150 random sample of under- 26 % have used “some drugs” graduates at 3 eastern United States universities
Sample
Table 2 Recent Student Surveys (College and University)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
British provincial university samples of 153 admitted drug users (mostly cannabis) and a control group matched for sex/age/course
931 undergraduates at 5 universities (health education courses) in different parts of the United States
Toohey, 1971
Alcohol 78 to 92 % (range among 5 samples), marijuana 28 to 49% (usually weekends or parties; daily use 3 t o 7 7 3 , LSD and mescaline 2 t o 12 %, barbiturates 6 t o 16%, amphetamines 6 to 32 %, narcotics 0 to 4 %
-
zers, 1 1, 20 %; analgesics only, 8, 12%; none, 41, 36 %
antidepressants/tranquili-
(continued)
Using sample: from larger families, fewer from rural, higher university entrance age (employment in interim), more likely t o have failed at least one examination. No relation with socioeconomic class, parental separation, schoolleaving age. Different drugs had high incidences at different colleges
26,000, 9 universities and Marijuana 26 %, LSD 5 %, amphetamine 14% colleges, Denver area, 66 % response rate Current use of marijuana (or Five categories (current use, . . . , never use) 12,142 in 20 colleges in other illicit drug) 29% (of metropolitan New York show progressive differences o n a variety of area males), 22 % (of females) ; relevant attitudes/opinions past use only, 11, 10%; n o illicit drugs but had used amphetamines/barbiturates/
Hindmarch, 1970
Robbins et al., 1970 (1968)
Mizner et al., 1970 (1 968)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
4 Q\ 0
239 at a midwestern college, response rate 78 %, no bias due to sex/race/year in college
Grupp et al., 1971 (corrected by McCain et al., 1971)
9,000 at 7 British colleges Hawks et al., 1971 (1968/1969), reand universities (response survey (1969/1971) rates 39 to 73%, mean 61 %) Second survey at 2 of the 7 colleges (N = 570)
201 at a large western university (98 % response rate, interviews)
1970 overall review
560, deviance classes; plus
Sample
Garfield et al., 1971 (1969 followup of 19661967)
Goode, 1971
Author and yeara
Correlates and other findings
No linear relationship with academic grades Use in past 6 months 70 %. (which were highest for casual users) 42 % of American college students have tried marijuana at least once 19661967 marijuana used largely by a deviant group; 1969 occasional activity of a majority of the students Males, social science students, from larger com27 % marijuana. Of these : munities, see a lower risk (physical, psyhalf used 3 or more times, chological, etc.) in use 39 % used before entering college, 42 % expected to use again Original survey, cannabis 10 Second survey: use is higher for London, and for those who lived away from home prior to colto 39 % (more than 11 lege; school : more public, fewer grammar, times, 3 to 16%). Secondmore reported being regarded as troublemakers survey, 26% cannabis. Of at school. Moreseen psychiatrist ever. More these, 17 % had used amoffences (primarily traffic). More regular use of phetamines/hallucinogens tobacco and at an earlier age; past (but not but not opiates, 21 % present) alcohol use. Engage in political activi(mostly those with greater ties. Even more liberal or permissive views than use of cannabis) had used rest of sample. Less religious background. See opiates less worthwhileness in present academic course. Less empathy with parents. View drug effects as mere likely to be beneficial. More likely to favor legalization (as do a majority of entire sample). No significant relation with parental separation, number of A-levels, academic standing on entrance
Usersb
(% of sample)
Table 2 (continued)
Downloaded by [McMaster University] at 03:09 04 April 2016
Kraus et a]., 1972 (1971)
Dorhoffer, 1972
Lilly, 1972
Thomas and Zingraff, 1972
47 % any drug. Of these, current use for just over half, 14 % frequent hard-drug usage
53 % marijuana. Of these, 20% were using more than once a week and 8 % had tried LSD 30 % marijuana. Of these, 3/4 had first use after college entrance and about half were still using 34% marijuana (2/3 of these more than 3 times)
41 % at least some illicit drug use (usually marijuana). Of these, 75 still using
Cannabis 47 % of students 1,556 students and alumni, and 1970 alumni, 26 % of Queens University, Ontario 1965 alumni. Of these, (72 % response rate) 74% never used any other drug. Tranquilizers, LSD, mescaline, amphetamines, opiates, and barbiturates each used by less than 7 % of total and student respondents
