Pubdate: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 Source: Carroll County Times (MD) Copyright: 2002 Carroll County Times Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1289 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1524 SEX AND DRUGS AND INHIBITIONS Many adolescents and young adults think that drinking or drugs often is a prelude to sex among others their age, but few think drinking or drugs would increase their chances of having sex. In other words: It probably happens to other people, but it won't happen to me. A national survey of 998 adolescents and adults ages 15 to 24 that was taken in November and January asked respondents how often they thought people their age drank or used drugs before having sex. Eighty-eight percent answered either a lot or sometimes. The survey by the Kaiser Foundation, an independent philanthropic organization that focuses on health care issues, also asked whether the respondents thought they would do more than they planned sexually if they had been drinking or using drugs. Fifty-six percent said they were not at all or not too concerned that would happen to them. Drugs and alcohol typically will lower people's inhibitions and make them more susceptible to suggestion. Even the suggestion of sex. People under the influence also are less likely to protect themselves from disease or pregnancy, the survey found. Carroll parents have reason for concern. The latest Maryland Adolescent Survey, released in September, showed Carroll 12th graders ranking above the state average in all categories of alcohol and drug use. The problem of drug and alcohol use was evident in all the grade levels surveyed, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th, but was the worst among the seniors. Prevention workers say part of the reason is the increased independence that parents give their children at that age. With that independence must come some form of responsibility. Various groups and organizations across the county have done a good job spreading the word of the dangers of drug and alcohol use, and that likely has stopped at least a few youngsters from spreading their wings too far. Those efforts must continue. But parents also play a crucial role. They must continue to talk to their children about drugs and drug use, including alcohol, and about what happens when a person is under the influence. The survey provides a good starting point. The Kaiser Foundation is just one of the surveys that parents can use to talk to their children about the long-term implications of unprotected sex or other risky behaviors. Having those conversations now can help decrease the chance of your child becoming next year's statistic. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth