Pubdate: Sun, 30 Dec 2001
Source: Florida Times-Union (FL)
Copyright: 2001 The Florida Times-Union
Contact:  http://www.times-union.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/155

ILLICIT DRUGS: SO HELP ME GOD

For those who adamantly oppose religious expressions in school, a new 
perspective might be provided by a study from the National Center on 
Addiction and Substance Abuse.

Non-religious students are twice as likely to drink alcohol than those who 
attend worship services regularly, the two-year study concluded. They are 
three times more likely to binge drink and four times likelier to use 
illicit drugs. If a child is exposed to religion, in other words, it could 
be the best thing that ever happened to him.

This is not an isolated conclusion. Previous studies have shown religious 
students less likely to commit crimes, drop out of school or have poor 
health. They also are less likely to smoke.

If activist parents don't take their children to church, they shouldn't 
object when others tell them about it.
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