Pubdate: Sun, 25 Dec 2005
Source: Beaufort Gazette, The (SC)
Copyright: 2005 The Beaufort Gazette
Contact:  http://www.beaufortgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1806
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

TEENAGE DRUG SURVEY HAS ALARMING RESULTS

Use Of Methamphetamine, Pain Killers Grows

Beaufort County teenagers may be lagging, even bucking, a trend in the
illegal use of prescription drugs, but they still indulge in unhealthy
lifestyles.

The trend of more teens using illegally obtained prescription drugs
was reported recently in the Monitoring the Future survey, which was
conducted by the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the University
of Michigan.

Nearly 50,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 in 402 public and
private schools were questioned about their use of alcohol, tobacco
and drugs. Surprisingly, smoking among teens has decreased slightly,
but the increased abuse of prescription drugs may have offset any gains.

Although Beaufort County teenagers aren't immune from abuse of any
drugs, the major problems continue to be the traditional choice -
alcohol and tobacco, according to Dick Vallandingham, director of
prevention services for the Beaufort County Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Department.

Vallandingham said accessibility is a key to abuse of any substance
nationwide, but an alarming statistic he discussed with a reporter is
the increasing prevalence of methamphetamine. While its use declined
nationally among teens from 4.7 percent in 1999 to 3.4 percent in 2004
to 2.5 percent in the 2005 survey, Vallandingham said he was seeing
greater use in Beaufort County. "I didn't even talk to anyone about
meth two years ago," he said, "But from the conversations I've had
with police, it's grown rather substantially."

He attributed the rise in crystal meth's popularity to the public's
ability to produce the drug, which drove down prices and increased
accessibility. "This is one of the most dangerous chemical substances
ever introduced," Vallandingham said.

Methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, is a
synthetic central nervous system stimulant that is classified as a
Schedule II controlled substance. It is dangerous, and it is
distributed across the nation under the names of "Crystal" and "Speed."

The drug is dangerous because of the medical and mental damage it can
cause in people, but it also is dangerous because of crime associated
with it.

Statistics showing that the number of S.C. high school students who
smoke has decline from 36 percent in 1999 to 24.4 percent are
encouraging.

Statistics from Columbia University's National Center of Addiction and
Substance Abuse that show 12- to 20-year-olds account for 11 percent
of the nation's alcohol consumption are discouraging.

Statistics that show an increase in the use of illegally obtained
prescription drugs also are disappointing, but the increase in use of
methamphetamine is alarming.

At a September seminar in Beaufort to discuss methamphetamine,
officials said the drug probably would increase in use as the
population of the county and the Lowcountry does. If the speed of
population growth is an indicator, an increase in use of the drug is
headed here in the fast lane.

Juveniles today may be better off in some cases than many of the teens
and young adults in the generation that came to maturity in the 1960s
and 1970s. They smoke less, they may drink less, but they partake of
far too many bad habits, which is an indicator that there still is
room for parent-child-community communication with kids of all ages on
a daily basis.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake