The statewide school survey monitors trends in substance use among public school students, identifies emerging problem areas, and serves as a basis of comparison for local school surveys. Chapter 1, "Description of Survey and Study Limitations," includes a brief history, survey methods, and terminology. Chapter 2 presents a "Comparison to the 1996 Secondary School Survey." Chapter 3, "Drug-Specific Patterns of Use," covers tobacco, alcohol, inhalants, and marijuana use. Data on patterns of use and attitudes are presented. Chapter 4, "Demographic Variables and Substance Use," explores gender, race and ethnicity, school grades, and family structure in relation to substance use. A large increase in use between fifth and sixth grades indicates experimentation beginning in the sixth grade for many students. Chapter 5, "Other Factors Related to Substance Use," presents data on school problems, friends who are users, availability, perceived danger, parental attitudes, age of first use, and sources of information. Conclusions are presented in Chapter 6. The survey instrument, substance use prevalence tables, and tables of responses to selected questions are appended. A separately bound executive summary presents the highlights of the study. (EMK)