Pubdate: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 Source: Alberni Valley Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2015 Glacier Community Media Contact: http://www.avtimes.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4043 Author: Martin Wissmath Page: 3 Cited: McCreary Centre Society: http://www.mcs.bc.ca/ FEWER CENTRAL ISLAND STUDENTS ARE SMOKING TOBACCO: REPORT Fewer students in Grades 7 to 12 across central Vancouver Island are smoking tobacco, marijuana or drinking and driving, according to the results of a health study released this month. But computer and cell phone usage is causing a chronic lack of sleep; and there have been no improvements in the percentage of students attempting suicide or deliberately harming themselves. The McCreary Centre, a non-government, nonprofit organization committed to improving youth health in B.C., released the Central Vancouver Island results of their 2013 survey. The results represent school districts in Port Alberni, Nanaimo-Ladysmith, Qualicum and the Cowichan Valley. About 250 students in Alberni were selected to take part in the survey, making up about 14 per cent of respondents. School districts in the central Island have previously taken part in the McCreary survey in 2003 and 2008. "We have seen great local improvements in areas such as substance use that show young people are making some good choices about their health, but the results also show us that a lot of students are not getting enough sleep and are struggling with mental health issues," stated Annie Smith, executive director of the McCreary Centre, which is based in Vancouver. The 2013 results showed a decrease in the percentage of students in Grades 7 to 12 who had ever smoked tobacco: down to 24 per cent from 30 per cent in 2008 and 35 per cent in 2003. Youth in the central Island area are more likely than their peers across B.C. to have tried alcohol (53 per cent compared to 45 per cent provincially) and marijuana (30 per cent compared to 26 per cent in the rest of B.C.). However, students are waiting longer to try these substances and the percentages have gone down compared to previous years. Five per cent of students responded that they had driven a car after drinking, a decrease from 12 per cent in 2008. There were also fewer students who drove after smoking marijuana - 16 per cent, down from 23 per cent. Youth reported feeling safer in every area of their school compared to previous years. Twenty-nine per cent of youth were injured seriously enough to require medical attention, a decrease from 35 per cent in 2008. "We see a direct relationship between getting enough sleep and positive mental health, yet 45 per cent of local students did not get eight hours of sleep on the night before taking the survey and over three quarters were online or on their phone after their parents expected them to be asleep," Smith noted. A majority of students, 75 per cent of males and 81 per cent of females, were online or on their phones after their expected bedtime. A significant minority of students, 35 per cent of males and 41 per cent of females, completed homework after they were supposed to be asleep. Female students are more than three times as likely (22 per cent) as male students (seven per cent) to have attempted suicide or intentionally harm themselves. Alberni School District Supt. Greg Smyth said SD70 administration will review the results for local students and discuss the McCreary report at an upcoming board meeting. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom