LOS ANGELES - A survey of students at 16 California middle schools shows Hispanic kids are more likely to smoke, drink or use marijuana than their peers in other ethnic or racial groups.
In probing for the reasons, researchers found that Latino youths may lack confidence in their ability to say no to peers.
The study, conducted by Regina A. Shih and her colleagues at the Rand Corp., surveyed 5,500 seventh- and eighth-grade students on their drug use and factors influencing drug use. Overall, 22 percent of the students said they had ever used alcohol, 10 percent said they had smoked at some point, and 7 percent acknowledged they had smoked marijuana.
But Hispanic youths were more likely to have used these substances compared with other groups. Among Latino students, 26 percent had tried alcohol, 12 percent had smoked cigarettes, and 9 percent had used marijuana.
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Asian students had the lowest rates of use (10 percent acknowledged drinking alcohol), while white and black students' usage rates were similar.
Researchers found that Hispanic youths seemed reluctant to refuse their peers' urgings to use drugs. They also were less likely to believe that drinking, smoking and using marijuana were harmful.
In contrast, Asian students were influenced to avoid smoking, drinking and pot because of their respect for their parents and lower rates of use among their older siblings and peers.
Few anti-substance-use programs for kids focus on ethnic or cultural factors, the authors note. Programs geared toward the middle school age group and unique cultural experiences may be more successful.
Moreover, "it is important for parents to be aware that many youths initiate substance use during middle school years, and parents can help their teen make healthier choices by monitoring their activities and talking with them about these issues," Shih said in a news release.
The study was published Wednesday in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
