Teen Alcohol and Drug Use

Sparta Area School District Teen Alcohol and Drug Use

Students in grades 6-12 have been participating in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey annually for over ten years. We continue to see fewer high school students reporting using tobacco and alcohol. For example, the number of students who report never drinking in 2016-17 is at 39.5% compared to 21.3% in 2006-07. The number of students who report trying cigarettes in 2016-17 is at 29.1% compared to 49.9% in 2006-07. Marijuana use is also trending downward based on what high school students are reporting on the survey. On the 2016-17 survey, 71.3% of students reported that they have never tried marijuana compared to 54.6% in 2004-05.

How do we compare to other communities?

• 5.8% of Sparta students reported that they drove a vehicle one or more times while under the influence of alcohol in the past 30 days compared to 8.9% of WI students surveyed in 2013.
• 59.1% of Sparta students reported having had at least one drink of alcohol during their lifetime compared to 65.9% of WI students surveyed in 2013.
• 21.3% of Sparta students reported that they drank alcohol (other than a few sips) for the first time before the age of 13 compared to 14.6% WI students surveyed in 2013.
• 27.3% of Sparta students reported to using marijuana one or more times in their life compared to 31.2% of WI students surveyed in 2013.