ALCOHOL USE

•    47.1% of all respondents (46.3% - 2004) (47.8% - MA YRBS) report having had at least one drink of alcohol on at least one occasion during the thirty days prior to the survey.  The incidence of this behavior increased each year by grade. 

    “During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink
      of alcohol?”
    “At least once”
                            2005 MA
    Grade 9    Grade 10    Grade 11     Grade 12    Total    YRBS
    Female    37.2%    45.0%    51.7%    60.7%    48.0%    47.6%
    Male    30.8%    36.4%    49.2%    67.9%    46.2%    48.0%
    Total     34.2%    41.1%    50.4%    64.4%    47.1%    47.8%
    2005 MA YRBS     39.8%    46.1%    54.0%    54.0%   

•    30.0% of all respondents (28.0% - 2004) (26.5% - MA YRBS) report having had five or more drinks of alcohol in a row (within a couple of hours) on at least one occasion during the thirty days prior to the survey.  The incidence of binge drinking increased each year by grade (grade 9 – 18.5%, grade 10 – 25.5%, grade 11 – 34.4%, grade 12 – 43.2%).  Males (34.3%) (30.9% - 2004) were more likely to have done so than were females (25.8%) (24.8% - 2004).

•    4.5% of all respondents (9.0% - 2004) report having had at least one drink of alcohol during the school day on at least one occasion during the thirty days prior to the survey (grade 9 – 3.1%, grade 10 – 4.5%, grade 11 – 6.8%, grade 12 – 3.6%).  There was little variation by gender (females – 3.7%, males – 5.4%).

•    Four respondents in ten (39.9%) report having attended parties held in homes in Arlington where alcohol use by teens is allowed, either occasionally or frequently during the 12 months prior to the survey (grade 9 – 22.3%, grade 10 – 41.8%, grade 11 – 43.7%, grade 12 – 54.3%).  There was little variation by gender (females – 38.5%, males – 41.4%).

  ILLEGAL DRUG USE

•    28.6% of all respondents (27.7% - 2004) (26.2% - MA YRBS) report having used marijuana at least once during the thirty days prior to the survey.  Further, 7.1% of all respondents (8.7% - 2004) report having used marijuana on at least one occasion during the thirty days prior to the survey on school property during the school day.

“During the past 30 days, how many times did you use marijuana?”
    “At least once”
                            2005 MA
    Grade 9    Grade 10    Grade 11     Grade 12    Total    YRBS
    Female    13.9%    21.5%    28.0%    35.5%    24.0%    23.4%
    Male    26.0%    28.3%    37.1%    41.6%    33.4%    29.0%
    Total     19.6%    24.5%    32.8%    38.6%    28.6%    26.2%
    2005 MA YRBS     19.5%    28.3%    30.1%    28.0%   

•    7.6% all respondents (9.6% - 2004) report having ever sniffed glue, or breathed the contents of spray cans, or inhaled any paints or sprays to get high (grade 9 – 9.3%, grade 10 – 5.5%, grade 11 – 9.6%, grade 12 – 5.5%).  There was no variation by gender. 
•    5.4% all respondents (7.7% - 2004) (7.9% - MA YRBS) report having ever used any form of cocaine, including powder, crack, or freebase.  The incidence of lifetime cocaine use was highest in grade 11 (grade 9 – 4.2%, grade 10 – 2.7%, grade 11 – 8.8%, grade 12 – 5.5%). There was little variation by gender (females – 4.1%, males – 6.7%).

•    5.2% all respondents (5.1% - 2004) report having ever used oxycontin (grade 9 – 4.2%, grade 10 – 2.7%, grade 11 – 8.8%, grade 12 – 4.5%). Males (6.5%) report ever using oxycontin more frequently than females (3.9%).

•    7.3% all respondents (10.3% - 2004) report having ever used any illegal drug other than marijuana or cocaine such as PCP, ecstasy, mushrooms, speed, ice, heroin, acid, LSD, or any other hallucinogen. The incidence of this behavior was highest in grade 12 (grade 9 – 5.1%, grade 10 – 5.0%, grade 11 – 7.6%, grade 12 – 11.9%).  Male respondents (11.4%) report having done so much more frequently than females (3.3%).

•    22.0% of all respondents (27.7% - 2004) report having been offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property during the school day on at least one occasion during the twelve months prior to the survey (grade 9 – 18.5%, grade 10 – 18.2%, grade 11 – 27.0%, grade 12 – 24.2%).  Male respondents (29.3%) were much more likely to have been offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property than were females (14.9%).