Pubdate: Wed, 13 Dec 2006
Source: Shore Line Times, The (CT)
Copyright: 2006 Shore Line Times
Contact:  http://www.shorelinetimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3435
Author: Elizabeth Ellis, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

SURVEY: MAJORITY OF STUDENTS ARE DRUG FREE, BUT OFFICIALS STILL CONCERNED

MADISON - The town will tighten its plan to combat substance abuse, 
following the release of a drug survey in which one-third of 7th-to 
12th-grade students reported drug and/or alcohol use.

"It is important that this data is available to us," said 
Superintendent Kaye Griffin. "We are very proud that 63.2 percent of 
our students are abstaining from alcohol and drug use, but there is 
data in these reports that we find troubling."

The survey was distributed by the Rocky Mountain Behavioral Science 
Institute based in Colorado who have put in 15 years of research into 
the survey. It has been administered to students since 1987 and has 
been developed and refined using 200,000 adolescents across America.

"There were very few parents who objected to having their children 
take this survey, and students who were absent that day did not 
participate," said Assistant Superintendent Anita Rutlin.

In order to reduce the number of answers that might have been 
exaggerated or false, Griffin says the schools emphasized that the 
survey would be completely confidential, and not even the faculty of 
the schools would see the answers. The Rocky Mountain Behavioral 
Science Institute upon receiving the survey rejected certain forms 
that had what was felt to be inconsistent or exaggerated responses.

"Only three percent of Madison students had surveys rejected because 
of exaggerated answers, and only two percent of the surveys were 
classified as 'inconsistent responders'," says Griffin. "We received 
good feedback from faculty that the environment during the survey was 
very quiet and serious."

According to the results, alcohol was the overriding substance with 
the most use and accessibility, with 79 percent of students claiming 
alcohol is easy to access and alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are the 
most commonly used drugs among youth in Madison and nationwide.

"A surprise to us was the use of alcohol jumps between seventh and 
eighth grade in our schools," says Griffin. "Under the percentage of 
students who have tried alcohol, it goes from 14 percent in seventh 
grade to 34 percent in eighth grade."

Vice Chair for the Selectmen's Council on Substance Abuse Mary Beth 
Golja says though it was sobering to see the results, it is a first 
step to create more preventative programs to target a younger audience.

"We are very excited the survey finally happened and it went much 
quicker than we thought," says Golja. "It is a way to build awareness 
in the community."

According to the survey, 12.9 percent of students surveyed were 
categorized as "light alcohol users". This is a low involvement 
pattern that the institute defines as students who rarely, if ever, 
get drunk and may have experimented with some other drug but have not 
continued the use. The results will be shared with the students 
surveyed in the coming weeks.

"I compliment the Board of Education for putting this survey out 
there," say police Chief Paul Jakubson. "To have 95 percent 
participation; that is amazing. To the parents and the townspeople, 
the police will support you in this effort because we ultimately deal 
with kids that have gone down the wrong path, and that is something 
we do not want to see."

A steering committee involving Madison Public Schools, Youth Service, 
Committee on Children and Youth, police, and Selectmen's Council on 
Substance Abuse will create an action plan to combat substance abuse 
during January and February of 2007, present a preliminary plan to 
the Board of Education, Board of Selectmen, and Board of Finance 
between March and April, and conduct community forums to gain 
feedback and support for the proposed plan in May and June.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman