Pubdate: Mon, 11 Mar 2013
Source: Kenora Daily Miner And News (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Kenora Daily Miner and News
Contact: http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/letters
Website: http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/855
Author: Alan S. Hale
Page: 4

NEW REPORT GIVES SNAPSHOT OF YOUTH DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE IN KENORA

Three quarters of Kenora's students say they have at least one close 
friend who drinks alcohol. That's according to a new report published 
by the Northwestern Health Unit on Friday looking into local 
students' attitudes towards drugs and alcohol.

The report is based on data that was collected from Kenora's Grade 7 
to 12 students in a survey in 2010. While the study focuses mainly on 
the perception of drug use, it does have some indication of the rates 
of drug use in Kenora's young people.

Instead of asking students if they themselves used the substances in 
question, it asks if they have "one to four close friends" who have 
used it, and if they knew any adults who used it.

Sixty-three per cent said they had friends who used alcohol behind 
their parents' backs. When it came to adult use, only 15 per cent of 
Kenora's students didn't know any adults who got drunk or high in the 
past year, and over 25 per cent knew over six adults who have been 
drunk or high in the past year.

Forty-eight per cent said they had friends who smoked cigarettes; 
which is one per cent higher than the rate from the year before.

When it came to marijuana, 44 per cent of Kenora's students said they 
have friends who use it. Thirty-three per cent said they knew one to 
five adults who used it, and 20 per cent knew six or more adults who 
smoke marijuana.

When it came to harder drugs like cocaine, meth or LSD, only 10 per 
cent said they had friends who used. Almost 18 per cent knew at least 
one adult who used hard drugs, and 8 per cent knew more six or more 
adults who used them.

Prescription drugs like Oxycontin or Percocet had a slightly higher 
usage among students at 12 per cent. There was no data on adult use 
of prescription drugs.

But when it came to drug-dealing, one fifth (20 per cent) of students 
said they had a friend who had sold drugs sometime in the past year. 
Eighteen per cent knew at least one adult who dealt drugs and 11 per 
cent knew six or more who did.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom