Drug Survey Reveals Use, Students Respond to Results

A 2010 survey of Danbury High School students appears to show that strong values and community involvement makes the difference in whether or not students participate in sexual intercourse and the use of alcohol and marijuana. The survey polled 1,987 students.

Stand Together to Make a Difference Coalition, of the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse presented their findings last Tuesday night.

The study showed that understanding boundaries set by parents and communities was a big factor in helping students avoid these risky behaviors. The more a student was immersed in the qualities often associated with good character, the more they chose safer activities.

Students from Danbury High School talked about the survey, including Mary Sigillo, 16, who said some of the questions were unrealistic, while Drew Meade, 17, said they reflected life. One statistic revealed 64% of students attend drinking parties.

Sigillo said that did not mean that 64% drank, and that the number of students who drank alcohol was probably only half that number, which was consistent with the survey results. Meade, however, thought the number was low, and that everyone who went to the parties drank.

One survey result said 41% of students had engaged in sexual intercourse one or more times. The survey also revealed that only 15% of students who came from backgrounds with strong values and connections to their communities had sexual intercourse. Meade said, “I would have thought the number of kids having sex would have been higher. Even middle school kids are having sex.”

Marijuana use was measured at 29% of the entire school, and 33% of the senior class. Hannah Keiser, 16, disagreed with that finding.

“I think more people smoke marijuana,” Keiser said.

Meade agreed and also thought that number was low. Sigillo thought some students faked their answers. William King, a student from Henry Abbott Vocational Technical School, which was not involved in the survey, said that at his high school, the numbers of students who smoked marijuana was considerably higher.

King said that many students smoke marijuana rather than drink alcohol because they believe it is safer, harder to trace, and kids can smoke it and still act normally.

“I don't smoke it, but I know kids who are on the honor roll who do,” King said.

Sigillo said, “A lot of kids think it is less dangerous.” She also said, “Kids in sports and other activities don't have time to smoke and drink.”

All of the students interviewed said that their parents were fairly strict about their grades, did not drink and drive, and felt that their parents were good role models. However, when asked if they thought that having a good home life was important to getting good grades, King said, “Grades depend on the teacher. A good teacher can make all the difference.”

Meade agreed.

“I have had teachers who couldn't control a class and teachers who you just learned so much from,” Meade said.

According to Keiser's perspective, “Peer pressure doesn't really exist. Kids who do, do. Kids who don't, don't.”

The survey showed that the kids who do, often have reasons in their background that allow them to “do.” However, the survey also showed the opposite, that some students who would have been expected to participate, did not, for their own reasons. The symposium finished with the sentiment that Danbury must come together as a community to instill the values that will allow students to become strong and safe adults.

The statistics, presented last Tuesday evening at a symposium at Western Connecticut State University, concluded that when a youth had the benefit of positive role models, high expectations, and empowerment and who also made constructive use of time with a commitment to learn, that adolescent would be less likely to participate in drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana or participating in sexual intercourse.

The findings also showed that the opposite was equally true; a student who lacked rules, stability, structure and expectations was more likely to engage in these activities.

HVCASA has many workshops geared towards raising the number of values and assets in communities, families and teens. A calendar of workshop events are available on their website http://www.hvcasa.org where you can also download the survey questions and request a copy of the results.