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Get Involved! - The Facts are Astonishing and These Are Our Children

The reality of drug use defies all stereotypes. It crosses all boundaries - gender, age, race, ethnicity, income and geography. Every child is at risk for trying or using drugs. Look at the facts from the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, 2000, which surveyed Brevard youth:

Among Brevard Middle School students, when asked about their current drug use (past 30 days), 17% smoked, 28% drank, 13% binge* drank, 9% used marijuana, and 11% used some other illicit drug. These percentages are 4% to 8% higher than the state average at this age for each of these drugs.

By High School, Brevard youth rates increase to 25% smoking, 50% drinking, 28% binge* drinking, 22% using marijuana, and 15% using other illicit drugs.

More Brevard females drink than the statewide figure for males (35% vs. 31%).

*binge drinking in the survey was defined as drinking 5 or more drinks on a single occasion in the past 2 weeks.