17. Prevalence of students using alcohol*

The consumption of alcohol by students on school property, a crime in itself, may also lead to other crimes and misbehavior. It can lead to a school environment that is harmful to students, teachers, and staff.

• In 1999, 50 percent of students in grades 9 through 12 had at least one drink of alcohol anywhere¹¹ in the 30 days before being surveyed (figure 17.1 and table 17.1). A much smaller percentage (5 percent) had at least one drink on school property during the same period.
• Approximately the same percentage of students had consumed alcohol in 1999 as in 1993, 1995, and 1997-both anywhere and on school property.
• In every survey year except for 1995, males were more likely than females to have used alcohol anywhere (figure 17.1 and table 17.1). Furthermore, in every survey year, males were more likely than females to use alcohol on school property. For example, in 1999, 6 percent of males had used alcohol on school property compared with 4 percent of females.
• In every survey year, students in higher grades were more likely to report drinking alcohol anywhere than were students in lower grades (figure 17.2 and table 17.1). However, in every survey year, students in all grades were equally likely to report drinking alcohol on school property.
• Asian students were less likely to use alcohol anywhere than students of any other racial/ethnic background in 1999 (26 percent for Asian students compared to 40 to 61 percent for all other students) (table 17.1). They also were less likely to report using alcohol on school property than black or African American, white, and Hispanic or Latino students (2 percent compared to 4, 5, and 7 percent, respectively).