Pubdate: Tue, 26 Dec 2006
Source: Marietta Times, The (OH)
Copyright: 2006 The Marietta Times
Contact:  http://www.mariettatimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2988
Author: Kate York

DRUG USE IS DOWN

One of the largest national surveys of youth shows a 23  percent drop 
in drug use since 2001 and local officials  say they also expect to 
see a drop in a survey of area  students due out soon.

A recently released study by the University of Michigan  showed the 
decline, among eightth, 10th and 12th  graders. It translates into 
about 840,000 fewer youth  using drugs in 2006 than 2001.

The study also shows a 25 percent drop in marijuana  use, although it 
remains the most common drug used by  teens.

"Statistically, that's really good news," said Cathy  Harper, 
coordinator of the Right Path for Washington  County, a community 
board devoted to youth prevention  programs. "It's good overall, but 
you still have to  take a look at your own community."

The Right Path is doing that, with its own survey  wrapping up with 
results expected to be released later  this winter.

The group surveyed Washington County sixth-, seventh  and eighth 
graders about drug use, community  involvement, antisocial behavior 
and academic  performance and will compare the results to the same 
survey, given to the same grades in 2003.

"When we set goals in 2003 we set them pretty low, at 2  percent," 
Harper said. "But that is a big change and I  feel confident we'll see that."

The 2003 Washington County survey found that more local  children 
used alcohol and inhalants than the national  average, but there were 
fewer using marijuana and  methamphetamine, than across the country.

Other results from the University of Michigan study  included the 
lowest methamphetamine rate in years and  showed a drop of 50 percent 
since 2001, with fewer than  1 percent of students using meth at 
least once in the  30 days before the interview.

"There has been a substance abuse sea change among  American teens," 
said John P. Walters, director of  National Drug Control Policy. 
"They are getting the  message that dangerous drugs damage their 
lives and limit their futures."

The age group studied are very important ones, said Walters.

"We know that if people don't start using drugs during  their teen 
years, they are very unlikely to go on to  develop drug problems 
later in life," he said. "That's  why this sharp decline in teen drug 
use is such  important news. It means there will be less 
addiction,  less suffering, less crime, lower health costs 
and  higher achievement for this upcoming generation of  Americans."

Youth use of alcohol was also down, according to the  "Monitoring the 
Future" study, which had 48,460  students from 410 schools as participants.

Lifetime, past year, past month, daily and instances of  drinking 
more than five drinks in a row in the last two  weeks were all lower 
than in 2001 in all three grades.

Use of cigarettes and steroids was also down in all  three grades and 
hallucinogens, including LSD and  Ecstasy, took huge tumbles, 
decreasing by 50 percent to  two-thirds.

The only drug to see an increase in all grades was  Oxycontin, which 
4 percent of students said they used  in 2006, compared to 3 percent in 2001.

The lifetime use of sedatives among seniors increased  18 percent and 
the past year use of Vicodin remained  steady in all three grades, 
with 3 percent, 7 percent  and 10 percent of eighth, 10th, and 12th 
grades,  respectively, reporting use.

Harper said she thinks efforts like the Right Path,  which has a 
sixth-grade curriculum in place and a Youth  Involvement Group plan 
safe, fun activities, have made  a difference in recent years.

"We're giving them some of the right tools and a lot of  good things 
are happening," she said. "But there's  still a lot of work to do. 
There have been some recent  incidents with underage drinking, so 
we're going to  move that to the forefront next. But we have a great 
group of kids and a community that understands what  we're doing and 
I think we can accomplish what we're  trying to."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine