Pubdate: Thu, 03 Aug 2006
Source: Indiana Daily Student (IN Edu)
Copyright: 2006 Indiana Daily Student
Contact:  http://www.idsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1319
Author: Zack Teibloom
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

IU STUDY - INJECTION DRUG USE UP

Alcohol, Marijuana Use Continue Declines

While usage of gateway drugs marijuana and cigarettes are decreasing 
among sixth to 12th graders, use of harder drugs is on the rise for 
Indiana 11th and 12th graders, according to a recent IU survey. The 
study also revealed increased after-school participation was the key 
factor in steering young adults away from drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

The Indiana Prevention Resource Center released this week the 16th 
Annual Survey of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use by Indiana 
Children and Adolescents. The study collected data from about 131,000 
students in grades six to 12 in Indiana public and private schools.

Ruth Gassman, executive director of the Indiana Prevention Center, 
analyzed the results and said the state is doing a fairly good job of 
preventing gateway drug use, but they need to stop those who have 
"graduated from gateway drugs to poly-drug use."

A startling result was high school seniors are injecting drugs at an 
all-time high on a monthly and lifelong basis. The most injected 
drugs are heroin, methamphetamine and steroids, which Gassman said 
she is concerned about.

"This finding is most alarming as injection drug use is strongly 
correlated with transmission of secondary infections such as HIV," 
Gassman said.

Though heroin, ecstasy and psychedelic drug use is on the rise among 
11th and 12th graders in Indiana, Gassman said it's not an epidemic 
since it is still a very low percentage of those tested. Only 254 out 
of the 131,017 students surveyed admitted heroin usage, for example.

The study found a pattern of drug use where there was a more direct 
path from one drug to the next. Twelve to 14 year olds typically 
start with cigarettes; move on to alcohol and then marijuana.

"You don't just wake up and say, 'I'm going to inject heroin today,'" 
Gassman said. "You start with cigarettes and marijuana."

Marijuana is declining for the 10th straight year among all grades. 
Especially large drops come in the sixth to ninth grade, where usage 
has been cut in half over the last 10 years.

Cigarette smoking was down too, but smokeless tobacco was on the 
rise, which Gassman attributed to young people not understanding 
chewing tobacco is still damaging.

Gassman was disheartened by the table which showed the negative 
effects drug and alcohol usage had on the lives of the young adults 
tested. Missing school, damaging property and getting in trouble with 
police and parents were all accredited to drug or alcohol usage.

"What packs a punch (from the table) is the variety of different 
consequences and the prevalence," she said. "It's eye-opening, the 
repercussions of alcohol and drug use."

Alcohol use continued to go down among 10th to 12th graders, but 
binge drinking was reportedly higher among 12th graders. This may 
have contributed to the alarming statistic that 26 percent of 12th 
graders admitted to having ridden in a car with someone who was 
intoxicated. A third of 12th graders admitted to getting nauseated or 
vomiting from drug or alcohol usage.

Violence had the strongest correlation to alcohol usage, with 20 
percent of high school-age students admitting to getting into a fight 
or argument due to being intoxicated.

Results show that getting young adults active in sports, arts and 
other after school activities is a determining factor in lowering 
their alcohol, tobacco and marijuana drug usage. Results were also 
that the more students participated, the lower their drug usage was 
which encouraged Gassman.

"These findings support the value of after-school programming as a 
strategy to prevent or reduce illegal substance use among 
adolescents," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman