TEXAS SURVEY OF SUBSTANCE USE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTSSeptember 4, 2013August 31, 2015

Produced by PPRI, Texas A&M

1997200520132015

College79 Schools Invited49 Participated

16

8

12

Even Years TSSOdd Years Universities/Colleges College13

62% Participated

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY BARRIERFERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

Old interpretation of FERPA in which they did not consider email addresses a Directory Information and were therefore not required to provide them in response to Public Information Request.

New – Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory information”, such as name, address, phone, DOB, Place, honors, awards, and attendance. However, schools must tell parents about directory information and allow parents and students reasonable time to opt out of disclosing directory information.

75% Participation2013

HOW WAS THE SURVEY ADMINISTEREDCampuses made email addresses available.

Conducted entirely online.

Students received an email with a link to take survey with reminders.

Window was open for about 5 weeks in Spring of 2015.

200 Questions about Alcohol, Tobacco, Rx and Illicit drug use.

DESIRED POPULATIONEnrolled in at least 5 hours.

Between the ages of 18 and 26.

Students who did not meet these requirements were excluded.

Just under 320,000 surveys were sent out. After removing incomplete responses and ineligible, about 11,300 complete survey were used.

THE FINDINGS

Patterns of licit and illicit Substances

Demographics associated with Substance Use

Consequences of Substance Use

How Substance Abuse has Changed Since the 2005 Survey

Lamar University Yes The University of Texas at El Paso YesSam Houston University Yes The University of Texas at San Antonio YesStephen F. Austin State University Yes The University of Texas, Pan American YesTexas A&M University Yes University of Houston YesTexas A&M University - Commerce Yes University of Houston, Downtown YesTexas A&M University - Corpus Christi Yes University of North Texas YesTexas Women's University Yes Baylor University NoThe University of Texas at Arlington Yes Southern Methodist University NoThe University of Texas at Austin Yes Tarleton State University NoThe University of Texas at Dallas Yes Texas State University No

Texas Tech University No

Large 4 Year Universities - 2015

SMALL 4 YEAR UNIVERSITIES 2015

Prairie View A&M University Yes Concordia University NoSouthwestern Adventist University University YesDallas Baptist University NoSul Ross State University Yes Jarvis Christian College NoTexas A&M International University Yes LeTourneau University NoTexas A&M University - San Antonio Yes McMurry University NoThe University of Texas of the Permian Basin YesRice University NoUniversity of Houston - Clear Lake Yes St. Mary's University of San Antonio NoWest Texas A&M University Yes University of St. Thomas NoAbilene Christian University No University of Incarnate Word of San Antonio NoCollege of St. Thomas Moore No Wiley College No

LARGE 2 YEAR COLLEGES 2015

Alamo Community College District Yes North Central Texas Community College District YesAmarillo College Yes San Jacinto College YesAustin Community College Yes Texas State Technical Colleges YesBlinn College Yes Collin County Community College District NoCentral Texas College District Yes Houston Community College System NoDallas County Community College District YesNavarro College NoDel Mar College Yes South Texas College NoEl Paso Community College District Yes Tarrant County College District NoLone Star College System District Yes

SMALL 2 YEAR COLLEGES - 2015

Cisco College Yes Odessa College YesFrank Phillips College Yes Texarkana College YesGrayson County College Yes Trinity Valley Community College YesHill College Yes Weatherford College YesHoward County Junior College District Yes Jacksonville College NoLamar Institute of Technology Yes Laredo Community College NoLamar State College-Orange Yes Paris Junior College NoLee College Yes Ranger College NoMidland College Yes

TOBACCO PAST YEAR USE - UP

2013 35%2015 43%

2015 Survey ask the ?

Remove the ?31%

MARIJUANA YEARLY USE UP - 2015

2013 26%2015 30%

Synthetic Marijuana -Declined

Annual Usage

2013 3.4%2015 1.1% BUT

Because

Criminalization of Synthetic Marijuana may have slowed Usage.

ANNUAL USE OF STIMULANTS DECREASED

2013 13%2015 4%

Wording Removing Ritalin and Adderall from the questionnaire

ANNUAL USE OF SEDATIVES INCREASED

2013 3%2015 7%

Wording adding Ritalin and Xanax to the questionnaire

DRUG USAGE BY TEXAS COLLEGE STUDENTS, BY GENDER

Drug Total %

Male %

Female %

Total % Male% Female%

Total% Male% Female%

Alcohol 80.7 80.6 80.8 74.7 74.0 75.2 61.5 63.1 60.4

Tobacco 47.6 56.8 41.5 33.8 45.7 25.9 22.1 31.9 15.7Inhalants 4.9 7.7 2.9 1.2 2.3 0.5 0.5 1.1 0.1DXM 6.6 8.7 5.3 2.7 2.8 2.6 0.8 0.8 0.9Marijuana 42.0 46.4 39.1 24.3 29.2 20.9 14.9 19.8 11.6

Synthetic MJ

12.4 15.7 10.2 3.5 4.6 2.7 1.0 1.6 0.6

Cocaine 9.4 12.7 7.2 3.2 5.4 1.8 1.1 1.7 0.6Stimulants 12.4 15.6 10.2 6.7 9.4 5.0 3.3 4.8 2.3Sedatives 7.4 9.9 5.7 3.1 4.0 2.5 1.5 1.9 1.2Hallucinogens 10.1 16.9 5.6 4.2 7.6 1.9 1.4 2.9 0.4

Heroin 1.2 1.9 0.8 0.3 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.1Other Narc 11.5 13.8 10.0 5.7 6.7 5.0 2.1 2.7 1.7Steroids 1.1 2.3 0.3 0.5 1.0 0.2 0.2 0.4 0GHB 0.9 1.7 0.4 0.4 1.0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0MDMA 11.1 14.1 9.2 3.8 5.2 2.8 1.2 1.9 0.8

Lifetime Use Past-Year Use Past-Month Use

2013

Drinking Habits in Month Prior to Survey29% (2013)

25% (2015) 24% (2013 & 2015)

9%(2013)10% (2015)

8% (2013 & 2015)

Respondents Describe Themselves in Terms of Alcohol Use

53%54%

Light Drinker

26% Moderate Drinker

16% Abstain Completely

4% Heavy Drinker.5% Problem Drinker

Past 30 Days 2013

2015

Male 43% 41%Females

38% 35%

5% 14%10%

Binge Drank at least 6 Times in past 30 Days

Binge Drinking

2013 2015 Reason

11% 11% Fake ID24% 22% Not

Carded

ACCESS

Restau

rants

Off Campu

s Bars

Gas Sta

tions

Grocery

Store

s0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Obtain W/O being Carded

Obtained by Others

Friend Over 21 Parent or RelativeUnder 21

2005 20130

10

2016.28

16.55

0

16.72

Tobacco

The Average Age College students reported that they started Use

Marijuana

2005 Lifetime Use 2013 Lifetime UseTotal Male Female Total Male Female

Alcohol 84% 85% 84% 81% 81% 81%

Tobacco 52% 58% 47% 48% 57% 42%

Marijuana 37% 41% 34% 42% 46% 39%

Synthetic Marijuana 12% 16% 10%

Stimulants 10% 12% 9% 12% 16% 10%

Hallucinogens 10% 14% 7% 10% 17% 6%

MDMA (Ecstasy) 9% 11% 8% 11% 14% 9%

2013Lifetime Past Year Past Month

Pain Killers - Vicodin, Oxycontin, Codeine 12% 6% 2%Stimulants - Ritalin, Adderall, other 12% 7% 3%Sedatives - Ambien, Soma 7% 3% 2%Cough Suppressants - DXM, Coricidin 7% 3% 1%

Prescription Drugs

17% Used with intent to get highInfre

quen

t Use

Most Common Ways to Obtain Prescription Drugs

Frequent Drug User Never Used Drugs Slightly Higher

Heavy Drinker Light Drinker B B+

Academics

No statistically significant difference!

Drug Use In College

Use More Decreased Use Stopped

18% Decreased Use

45%Stopped

18%Use More

86%

30% of blacked Out 4+ in Academic Year.

Nearly ½ reported alcohol caused arguments with friends / roommates.

Heavy Drinkers Reported

56% engaged in unplanned Sex at least once in the Academic School Year.

UNPLANNED AND UNPROTECTED SEX IS NOT STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH DRUG USE.

Alcohol Unplanned Sex• 56% Heavy Drinkers • 25% Moderate Drinkers

Unprotected Sex• 47% Heavy Drinkers • 20% Moderate Drinkers • 7% Light Drinkers

Drugs Unplanned Sex• 13% Drug Users (past 30

days).

Unprotected Sex

• 10% Drug Users

RATES FOR ALCOHOL USE ARE MUCH HIGHER FOR HARM

Alcohol Needing Medical Treatment• 1% Drinkers

Injury to Themselves• 10% Drinkers

Drugs Needing Medical Treatment• 2% Drug Users

Injury to Themselves• 4% Drug Users

REASONS THAT STUDENTS QUIT DRINKING OR REDUCED CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

Drink and Drive Habits were too Expensive

Didn’t Like how it Made me Feel

46% Quit or Reduce Consumption

Perception of Danger

For every drug except marijuana, at least 80% of respondents said that the drug was somewhat or very dangerous.47% of respondents said that marijuana was somewhat or very dangerous.

The drug students perceived as most dangerous was heroin, followed by cocaine or crack.

Very Dangerous Somewhat Dangerous Not Very Dangerous Not at All Dangerous

Yes No Not Sure0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Is Drug Abuse a Prob-lem on Campus?

Series 1

60% Underage Drinking

54% Heavy Alcohol Use

Perception:Is Drinking a Problem on Campus?

Students Estimated about 64% of the Student Body Drinks Alcohol at least Once per Month.

Fairly Close Estimate

Perception:Is Drinking a Problem on Campus?

The Actual Percent of Student who Reported Drinking in the Preceding Month was 61%

Disconnect Between How Students Perceive their Own Alcohol Usage and How their Peers Perceive it!

4% Identified Themselves as Heavy or Problem Drinkers

VS23% Identified Their Peers were either Heavy or Problem Drinkers

PERCEPTION

% Agree with the Statement29% “Students admire non-drinkers”15% “It’s important to show how much you

can drink”22% “You can’t make it socially without

drinking”25% “Drinking is an important part of the

college experience”

62% of Students Believe Drinking is Important.

Student were Poorly Informed about their School’s Policies Toward Alcohol UseStudents Did Not Know:43% School

Policy Concerning Alcohol.

65% Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program

78% - Peer Education Programs for Alcohol/Drug Use

30% - Not Received any Information

Student Awareness of Campus Programs has Deteriorated

2005 201350% 65%

Students were asked if their campus had a drug and alcohol program Did Not Know

Student Support or Opposition to Possible Policies Regarding Alcohol and Drug Use

66% - NO 72% 56% -

Banning Advertising

79% - Support Fine

45% Support Denying

SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH

Alcohol & Drug Use (Higher)

• Depressed• Hopeless• Worthless

• Heavy Drinkers on Average are more likely to feel depressed.

Drug Users and Non-Drug Users

• Hopelessness• Nervousness• Worthlessness (1.5%)• Depression (5%)

• Drug users report being depressed a little or some of the time about 5% more often than non drug users.

Drunk Driving2005 201329% 25% Drove After Drinking11% 9% Binge Drank and Drove

21% - Rode in the car

50% Served 5% Accident involving Alcohol

60% Reported as being the one intoxicated

CONCLUSION

Alcohol, Tobacco and Drunk Driving have Declined, while Marijuana use has increased, easily available and drug of choice for college students.

Unclear if Colleges have played a role in these changes.

Students continue to have poor awareness of campus programs.

Underage drinking continues to be prevalent as well as easy access.Restaurants are notorious offenders of serving alcohol to underage drinkers…..and Students recognize it as an easy target.Must recognize that mental health plays a part in alcohol and drug abuse.

UNIVERSITY TOBACCO POLICIES

SMOKE SHOPS AND HOOKAH IN SAN ANTONIO

SAN ANTONIO CAMPUSESIndoor Smoking Ban Smoke-free Campus Tobacco-free Campus

Trinity University

Our Lady of the Lake University

University of the Incarnate Word

St. Mary’s University

Texas A&M University at San Antonio

University of Texas at San Antonio

Alamo Colleges

CPRIT GRANTS AT UTSA• Complete ban as of 2014• Self-policed• $1.5 million in research

grants received

ALAMO COLLEGES• All campuses tobacco-free• ACPD assesses fines of $10-$20• Environmental changes over time