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Relationship Between Club Drug Use and Other Drug Use: A Survey of New York City Middle School Students

NCJ Number
210991
Journal
Substance Use and Misuse Volume: 40 Issue: 9-10 Dated: 2005 Pages: 1539-1555
Author(s)
Lloyd A. Goldsamt; Julie O'Brien; Michael C. Clatts; Laura Silver McGuire
Date Published
2005
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examined the prevalence of club drug use among middle school children in a large sample of New York City schools, as well as predictors of ever using club drugs.
Abstract
Educators, parents, policymakers, and researchers have long been concerned with the impact of drug use on the academic achievement of young people. Club drugs are a relatively new classification of drugs that have been receiving a lot of attention in recent years. However, to date, there have been no published studies examining the prevalence of club drug use among middle school children. This study examined the relationship between club drug use, demographics, and use of other drugs by analyzing data from 23,780 middle school students in New York City from the 2002-2003 National Development and Research Institutes (NDRI) Tobacco and Other Drug Use Survey. The findings illustrate an alarming pattern among middle school students. Rates of lifetime club drug use increased from 1.4 percent in sixth grade to over 5 percent by eighth grade. Between 41 percent and 50 percent of all lifetime users in each grade reported current club drug use, indicating that this use was likely to represent more than just single or brief episodes of experimentation. The comorbidity of club drug use and the use of alcohol and marijuana, along with the potential for cognitive impairment related to club drug use, suggest that the patterns of club drug use observed in this sample are likely to be associated with poor academic outcomes in this population. Tables, references