About Half of Newport High School Students Have Tried Marijuana

Written by William Rupp and Olga Enger

Students in Newport schools report they use more drugs and alcohol than students in other communities, according to a special report.

The data was compiled by the Department of Epidemiology in the Brown University School of Public Health for the Rhode Island State Epidemiology and Outcomes Workgroup headed by Brown Professor Stephen Buka.

Forty-six percent of Newport High School students reported they have smoked marijuana, which is the highest in the state.  Ten percent of students reported they drink moderate amounts of alcohol, which is the second highest in the state.  

The workgroup is a cross-state agency formed because there is no single state agency that is responsible for drug-use prevention, reporting and treatment, said Buka.

According to the results, Newport high school students rank (in comparison to Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns):

• 1 in they have tried marijuana 
• 2 in moderate alcohol use.
• 5 in their illegal use of cocaine;
• 11 in their use of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, codeine, and Adderall;
• 15 in being under the influence of drugs in school;

• 3 in marijuana use,
• 9 in current alcohol use, 
• 24 in using prescription drugs,
• 31 in using inhalants,
• 14 in overall alcohol use.

The students were asked questions such as:

• Have you tried prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription?
• Have you tried marijuana?
• Have you tried inhalants?
• Have you tried cocaine?
• Have you been under the influence of drugs at school during the past 12 months?