Methamphetamine Use by High School Students: Recent Trends, Gender and Ethnicity Differences, and Use of Other Drugs

• NCJ Number: 186612
• Journal: Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: 2000 Pages: 33-50
• Author(s): Eugene R. Oetting; Jerry L. Deffenbacher; Matthew J. Taylor; Nathan Luther; Fred Beauvais; Ruth W. Edwards
• Editor(s): Vincent B. Van Hasselt Ph.D., Brad Donohue Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): P50 DA07074; R44 DA03656
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Recent data on methamphetamine use by high school students, both lifetime and last month prevalence, were surveyed in a sample of 629,722 students using the American Drug and Alcohol Survey.

Abstract

Between 1989 and 1992, methamphetamine use rates remained relatively stable. After 1992, rates nearly doubled, especially in western States. There were no significant differences in methamphetamine use across grade level, but males were more likely to use methamphetamines than females. Methamphetamine use among females, however, also increased. With regard to ethnicity and methamphetamine use, American Indians and Hispanics were more likely to use the substance, followed in order by Asian Americans, whites, non-Hispanics, and blacks. Compared to other heavily drug-involved youth, methamphetamine users were more likely to user other drugs and to suffer drug use consequences. Implications of the findings for research, prevention, and counseling are briefly discussed. 12 references, 5 tables, and 1 figure