Youth Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs - Charts
What this chart shows: Percent of Students who Report Parental Attitudes Favorable to Drug Use - Larimer County School Districts and Colorado, 2002
Data Source for this chart: Colorado Youth Survey 2002, produced by OMNI
What these data tell us:
Students were asked to report if their parents would feel it is wrong if they (the respondents) drink liquor, smoke marijuana, or smoke cigarettes. The percentages above represent students who reported their parents had favorable attitudes. According to the Colorado Youth Survey, in families where parents use illegal drugs, are heavy users of alcohol, or are tolerant of children's use, children are more likely to become drug abusers during adolescence. The risk is further increased if parents involve children in their own drug (or alcohol) using behavior, for example, asking the child to light the parent's cigarette or get a beer from the refrigerator.
What this chart shows: Percent of Students with Attitudes Favorable to Drug Use - Larimer County School Districts and Colorado, 2002
Data Source for this chart: Colorado Youth Survey 2002, produced by OMNI
What these data tell us:
According to the Colorado Youth Survey, initiation of the use of any substance is preceded by values favorable to its use. During elementary school years, most children express anti-drug, anti-crime, and pro-social attitudes and have difficulty imagining why people use drugs; as they get older, their attitudes often shift toward greater acceptance of these behaviors. Youth who express positive attitudes toward drug use are at higher risk for subsequent drug use.
What this chart shows: Percent of Students who Perceive Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use - Larimer County School Districts and Colorado, 2002
Data Source for this chart: Colorado Youth Survey 2002, produced by OMNI
What these data tell us:
Students were asked to report if they think youth in their neighborhood would be caught by the police if they smoked marijuana, drank alcohol, or carried a handgun. They were also asked the extent to which to which they feel parents in the neighborhood would think it is wrong to smoke cigarettes, marijuana or to drink alcohol. These questions were combined to represent to percentages above. According to the Colorado Youth Survey, research has shown that legal restrictions on alcohol and tobacco use, such as raising the legal drinking age, restricting smoking in public places, and increasing taxation have been followed by decreased consumption. Moreover, national surveys of high school seniors have shown that shifts in normative attitudes toward drug use have preceded changes in prevalence of use.
What this chart shows: Student Perceptions of the Availability of Drugs - Larimer County School Districts and Colorado, 2002
Data Source for this chart: Colorado Youth Survey 2002, produced by OMNI
What these data tell us:
Students were asked to report if they think it is easy for youths to get alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs. The availability of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and other illegal drugs has been related to use of these substances by adolescents.
Data Tables:
Parental Attitudes Favorable to Drug Use
|
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
|
6th Grade |
Poudre |
23.3% |
15.6% |
13.1% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
16.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
17.7% |
|
8th Grade |
Poudre |
30.4% |
35.2% |
26.4% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
30.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
32.2% |
|
10th Grade |
Poudre |
44.5% |
45.7% |
42.7% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
44.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
46.9% |
|
12th Grade |
Poudre |
48.6% |
48.9% |
47.3% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
44.1% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
48.2% |
Attitudes Favorable to Drug Use
|
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
|
6th Grade |
Poudre |
27.3% |
19.6% |
14.3% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
28.1% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
28.2% |
|
8th Grade |
Poudre |
36.5% |
41.1% |
33.1% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
35.2% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
36.5% |
|
10th Grade |
Poudre |
53.0% |
53.2% |
53.1% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
40.6% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
48.6% |
|
12th Grade |
Poudre |
56.2% |
49.5% |
47.7% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
40.2% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
44.7% |
Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use
|
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
|
6th Grade |
Poudre |
44.9% |
47.4% |
39.6% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
43.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
44.9% |
|
8th Grade |
Poudre |
34.7% |
40.3% |
32.2% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
36.1% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
39.3% |
|
10th Grade |
Poudre |
36.1% |
38.2% |
36.4% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
38.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
46.2% |
|
12th Grade |
Poudre |
40.3% |
37.9% |
33.0% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
31.6% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
42.4% |
Perceived Availability of Drugs
|
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
|
6th Grade |
Poudre |
23.1% |
29.5% |
21.1% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
29.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
29.5% |
|
8th Grade |
Poudre |
38.9% |
49.4% |
32.4% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
38.0% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
37.0% |
|
10th Grade |
Poudre |
53.3% |
60.2% |
44.5% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
40.4% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
45.1% |
|
12th Grade |
Poudre |
63.9% |
73.3% |
58.4% |
|
|
Thompson |
|
|
44.6% |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
48.0% |