Gangs and Drugs: Crisis in Public Schools

Twenty-seven percent of public school students from 12 to 17-years-old report that kids are using, keeping or selling drugs onschool grounds, according to a study by the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse. The survey, done annually over the past 15 years, found many surprising statistics:

Students in schools with gangs and drugs are five times more likely to use marijuana and three times more likely to drink. 46 percent of teens at public schools say there are gangs at their schools compared to only 2 percent of teens at private and religious schools
The percentage of middle schools with drugs on campus (kids 12- to 13- years old and younger) has increased from 23 percent last year to 32 percent this year
Teens with strong family ties are far less likely to smoke, drink or use marijuana or hang out with people who drink regularly, use illegal drugs and abuse prescription drugs

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