Drug use among primary school students, New South Wales, 1986: File p

Comparatively little data has been collected about primary aged students' drug use. This survey has a number of objectives: to monitor the nature and extent of alcohol and other drug use; to provide data from which the need for social policy and educational initiatives could be determined; and to provide background data to facilitate the evaluation of such initiatives. The drugs selected as the focus of the study were tobacco, alcohol, analgesics and inhalants. The first part of the questionnaire investigates children's knowledge of drugs and their knowledge and beliefs about the effect of drugs. Children are then questioned about whether they have ever smoked cigarettes, how often they smoke, what they would do if their friends smoke, whether people close to them smoke, how they would get cigarettes, and beliefs about the effects of smoking. Similar questions are asked on alcohol and inhalants. A section on headache powders and tablets concludes the questionnaire. Background variables include: age, sex, country of birth, country of parent's birth and household structure.