LSD use among US high school students
JAMA – February 09, 1994
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Hallucinogen use among high school students rose from 4.9% to 5.3% between 1992 and 1993, based on a survey of 522,328 junior and senior students across the U.S. Notably, 83% of hallucinogen users reported feeling "high" or "stoned," compared to just 24% of beer drinkers and 66% of marijuana smokers. Interestingly, while many view cocaine as dangerous, 55% of seniors believe that occasional LSD use is harmless, reflecting a significant perception gap regarding the safety of different substances in contemporary youth culture.
Abstract
To the Editor. —We have recently presented data 1 from our annual survey of 522 328 junior and senior school students from schools across the United States. This anonymous questionnaire on the prevalence of drug use was administered to all junior and senior students attending home rooms in these schools in 1993, and results were compared with 1992. Hallucinogen use increased significantly ( P t test), from 4.9% to 5.3%. Also, 83% of hallucinogen users reported most often getting high or bombed/stoned when they used hallucinogens, as compared with 24% of beer drinkers, 66% of marijuana smokers, and 74% of cocaine users. Our experience suggests that many young people believe that cocaine is very dangerous. However, these same young students appear to believe that LSD is spiritually uplifting. In our survey, 55% of school seniors believed that trying LSD a few times is not harmful. These data