Pubdate: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 Source: Hamilton Spectator (CN ON) Copyright: The Hamilton Spectator 2001 Contact: http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/181 Author: Christine Cox MORE YOUTH BINGE DRINKING: SURVEY A survey shows drug use among youth has plateaued but it's still higher than it was in the early '90s. Torstar File Photo Cigarette smoking by Ontario youth is down but heavy drinking remains a problem. And the use of illegal drugs has plateaued. A new provincial survey says cigarette use has dropped to 24 per cent from 29 per cent in the past two years, the lowest it's been since 1977. Use of solvents and LSD also dropped. But 63 per cent of youth reported drinking alcohol in 2001, up from 57 per cent in 1993. The number who reported binge drinking -- consuming five or more drinks at one time -- rose to 25 per cent from 18 per cent in that period. Twenty-seven per cent of young people said they got drunk, a jump from 17 per cent in 1993. Those are the results of the latest Ontario Student Drug Use Survey, released yesterday by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). More than 4,200 students in Grade 7 through OAC took part in the 2001 survey, administered by the Institute for Social Research at York University. The survey is the most recent in a series of 13, conducted every two years since 1977. Dr. Edward Adlaf, senior scientist at CAMH and co-author of the study, noted the '90s saw a resurgence in drug use after a decline in the '80s. "In 2001, the good news is that illicit drug use among youth isn't growing. The bad news is, it's still higher than it was in the early '90s," Adlaf said. Catherine McPherson-Doe, executive director of the Hamilton agency Alternatives for Youth, concurs with the findings. She said binge drinking, like the kind that goes on at bush parties, continues to be a concern locally. Carmen Messerlian, a health promotion specialist with the city, was disappointed by the increase in alcohol use. She said there have been many programs across the province to raise awareness about the risks of binge drinking, including alcohol poisoning, which can result in death. It often takes a few years to see the results of such campaigns, Messerlian said. "We need to continue our efforts in raising awareness in youth, even as young as seventh grade." Messerlian said the decline in tobacco use was probably the most significant of the results. She suggested the various prevention strategies that have been implemented are obviously having an effect on youth smoking rates. Ecstasy was the one drug that continued to increase for a few subgroups in the Ontario survey. Its use among ninth-graders climbed to 7 per cent from 2 per cent. The figure rose to 8 per cent from 4 per cent for western Ontario, which includes Hamilton. McPherson-Doe wasn't surprised the survey showed illicit drug use in general hasn't increased. The number of youth aged 13 to 22 served by Alternatives for Youth has been fairly stable the last two years, at about 800. But more clients are seeking help in relation to ecstasy. "Last year, youth were identifying they were using ecstasy ... but they saw it as a recreational drug, not creating difficulties in their life," McPherson-Doe said. "This year, we're seeing more youth seeking treatment around the use of that drug." She said the top three drugs of concern for young people coming to her agency continue to be cannabis, alcohol and tobacco. STUDENT DRUG USE Ontario Student Drug Use Survey Differences Between 1999 And 2001 Cigarette Use Down to 24 per cent from 29 per cent Solvents Use Down to 6 per cent from 7 per cent LSD Use Down to 5 per cent from 7 per cent Cannabis Use Stable at about 29 per cent Binge Drinking Down to 25 per cent from 28 per cent between 1999 and 2001 but up from 18 per cent in 1993 A total of 4,211 students from 41 school boards were surveyed - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager