Pubdate: 3 Feb 1999
Source: Willamette Week (OR)
Contact:  http://www.wweek.com/
Mail: 822 SW 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97205 
FAX: (503) 243-1115
Author: Nigel Jaquiss

NEWSBUZZ: WHAT ARE THEY SMOKING IN THOSE NEWSROOMS?

Is Oregon Really Overrun With Booze-Guzzling, Bong-Hitting, Glue-Sniffing
Teenagers?

You might think so based on how the local media treated the release of the
1998 Oregon Public School Drug Use Survey last week. The coverage is
typified by The Oregonian's Jan. 27 headline on page D1: "Data give bad
news on teen substance abuse." A reading of the survey, which polled
eighth-graders and 11th-graders from across the state, showed a far less
alarming story. For example:

* Marijuana use among eighth- and 11th-graders was down from the previous
survey in 1996.

* Alcohol use was down among eighth-graders. It was unchanged for
11th-graders.

* The Illicit Drug Index, which measures students' use of one or more
substances excluding alcohol or tobacco, was also down for eighth-graders
and unchanged for 11th-graders.

In fact, of all the categories surveyed, only tobacco use among
11th-graders showed a significant increase--a worrisome sign to be sure but
hardly the whole story.

Barbara Cimaglio, who directs the state Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Programs, commissioned the survey. Although she was interviewed for The
Oregonian's story, Cimaglio was surprised at the tenor of most of the
coverage. Charts that accompanied the article graphically displayed the
improved results in some categories, but the text focused on the absolute
numbers of kids using controlled substances.

Although Cimaglio is quick to add that drug and alcohol use is still far
too high among students, she notes that in every major category
eighth-graders--presumably more receptive to anti-substance abuse messages
than 11th-graders--showed improvement over the 1996 survey.

"We're interpreting it as good news that we've stemmed the tide," Cimaglio
says. "The media obviously want to make things more dramatic." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake