Drug Use in Anchorage, Alaska

Of all public school students surveyed by a one-page questionnaire, 36.3% reported experimentation with a drug other than alcohol or tobacco, 19.8% reported use ten or more times, and 4.5% reported frequent current use. High figures for an elementary school population indicated that 14.6% of sixth graders had used a drug other than alcohol or tobacco. Alcohol, tobacco, marihuana, solvents, nonprescription stimulants, and hashish were the most commonly reported drugs for all students. Marihuana use was correlated with use of other drugs. Most drugs showed increased usage rates compared to previous investigations, with marked increases noted for hashish, mescaline, and propoxyphene hydrochloride. Usage rates were approximately equal for boys and girls, and increased as grade level increased. Racial differences in usage were noted.