Survey Reveals 5 Million Youth Attend Drug Infected Public Schools

Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse last week announced the results of its newest report National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XV: Teens and Parents.

CASA's back-to-school survey exposes an alarming jump in gang violence and drug use in public middle and high schools in America. Based on CASA’s survey results, 27 percent of public schools are infiltrated with gangs and drugs, which equates to 5.7 million of 12 to 17 year olds who go to school every day where drugs and gangs are present. According to the study, schools where gangs are present are twice as likely to experience issues with illegal drug use.

The study also found that compared to students at drug-free schools, students from gang- and drug-infected schools are:
• three times more likely to drink alcohol,
• five times more likely to use marijuana,
• five times more likely to have a friend who uses illicit drugs—including acid, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, or methamphetamine
• 12 times more likely to smoke cigarettes

View the study.