Illegal drugs common in U.S. schools survey

WASHINGTON (Reuter) The vast majority of U.S. high school students
report illegal drugs are kept, used or sold on school grounds, a new
survey found Monday. In a survey timed to coincide with the start of
the new school year, the National Center on Addiction and Substance
Abuse (CASA) found that 76 percent of high school students and 46
percent of middle school students said drugs were present at their
schools. More than a quarter of high school students, 29 percent,
said a student in their school died in the past year from a drug or
alcoholrelated incident, and 28 percent of high school teachers said
students who appear to be drunk or high on drugs show up in their
classes at least once a month. More than a third of teenagers, or 35
percent, said drugs are the most important problem they face, up
slightly from 31 percent in 1996 and 32 percent in 1995, the survey
found. Only 26 percent of parents, 18 percent of teachers and 15
percent of school principals thought drugs were teens' most important
concern, according to the survey. The survey of students had a margin
of error of plus or minus 2.9 percent; the survey of teachers had an
error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percent and the survey of
principals had an error margin of plus or minus 4.9 percent. CASA,
based at Columbia University in New York, is a nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization aimed at combatting substance abuse.

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