Published: August 27, 2008 12:03 pm         

Drug survey

Promising signs; still more to do

An annual survey released last week found drug use by Indiana middle and high school students to be going down. The Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University reported on results of a voluntary survey of more than 150,000 students at 448 public and private schools.

The researchers found alcohol and cigarette use dropping or holding steady for students in grades 6 through 12.

The survey also found that kids were generally older when they experimented with the so-called “gateway” drugs of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. The average age of first use was 12.7 for cigarettes, 13 for alcohol and 13.8 for marijuana.

The survey found fewer students reporting the use of methamphetamine this year than last. The researchers said the trend for meth use either held steady or declined at all grade levels.

Still, the news wasn’t all good.

The survey showed an increase in the percentage of high school students using smokeless tobacco. About 1.5 percent of 9th graders used smokeless tobacco daily in 2001, compared to 1.9 percent in 2008. About 2.9 percent of high school juniors used smokeless tobacco in 2001, compared to 3.6 percent this year.

One tidbit that should be of particular interest to parents is this: Asked where they were finding that first sip of alcohol, most of the younger teens reported they were finding it at home. In other words, they were filching it from Mom and Dad.

Perhaps the parents of teenagers should be keeping a closer eye on the liquor cabinet.

Here’s a scary number: 28 percent of teenagers surveyed said they had ridden in a car driven by someone who had been using alcohol or drugs.

Here’s another one: The survey found an increase in the use of injection drugs such as heroin. Grades 10 and 12 reported all-time highs for using needle drugs monthly: 1.2 percent for both seniors and sophomores.

All in all, the news from the survey was good, offering some hope that the message is getting through to teenagers that drugs and alcohol can be dangerous. Clearly, though, we have a long way to go.

Parents are the best weapon against teenage drug abuse. Have a talk with your kids today.