Santa Maria California Healthy Kids Survey of 2002 found:
Drug use is a pervasive problem in our community. Both lifetime and recent alcohol use rose steadily with increasing grade levels. Marijuana and Methamphetamine use followed the same pattern.
23% in grade 748% in grade 9
65% in grade 11
A drink is a drink. Each contains half an ounce of alcohol. So a drink is:
1 can of beer (12 oz; 4-5 % alcohol)
1 glass of wine (4 oz; 12% alcohol)
1 shot of most liquors ( 1 oz; 40-50 alcohol
At times a drink is really the equivalent of more than just one, like when you order a drink with more than one shot of alcohol, or you do a shot followed by a beer.
Santa Barbara County Childrens Scorecard states:
One-quarter of 11th grade males and one-fifth of 11th grade females report engaging in binge drinking (binge drinking is defined as having more than five drinks of alcohol within a few hours) over the past 30 days.
Santa Maria Police Department total calls for service:
The number of juveniles involved with alcohol and drugs have nearly doubled this year (7% to 13.5%).
2004 249 arrests/citations issued
2005 221 arrests/citations issued
Drugs and alcohol
2004 2987 adult and juvenile calls
2005 1765 adult and juvenile calls