Illegal substances have become nearly twice as prevalent in high schools in the last three years. 62% of high school and 28% of middle school students admit that drugs are used, kept or sold in their schools.
Teens who attend schools where drugs are widely available are three times more likely to experiment with marijuana and twice as likely to use alcohol than their peers who attend drug-free schools.Availability of drugs also plays a key role in the numbers' rise. Nearly half (42 percent) of 12 to 17-year-olds surveyed said they could obtain marijuana in less than a day, while 21 percent said they could buy it in an hour or less. From 2004 to 2005, the number of ecstasy users went up 28 percent, and those who use acid, cocaine or heroin jumped 20 percent.
Parental involvement was found to be more influential than legal restrictions in preventing children's involvement with drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. Parents are the most effective way to discourage teen drug use because most kids get their sense of morality from them.
This is consistent with the opinions of most of the teenagers who feel that illegality does not affect their decision regarding drug abuse.
