REDUCING ALCOHOL, DRUG USE BY ADOLESCENTS

A recent letter noted that national alcohol and other drug-use statistics
indicate that adolescent use of alcohol and marijuana is beginning to
decline, while the use of heroin is increasing. The author pointed out that
the national strategy to address alcohol and other drug use is flawed and
that these statistics support his premise. An appeal was then made to
concentrate efforts on heroin (which has shown an increase in use) and to
stop making marijuana such a significant issue.

As the interim director of Chemical Dependency Services at St. Anthony
Villa and a prevention/treatment professional, I am frustrated by the
logic. The letter writer is correct: Surveys do show that use of marijuana
is declining among the general teenage population. This suggests to most
professionals that hard efforts are finally paying off - not that the
approach is flawed. In addition, consistent hard work is needed to continue
this trend.

It is important to look at adolescent treatment statistics from the Ohio
Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. The number one drug of
choice among adolescents receiving treatment services in Ohio for the past
two fiscal years is marijuana. Heroin use, in contrast, is barely a blip on
the screen. In order to keep it that way, we must continue to address
adolescent use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.

Shifting attention from the number one drug of choice - marijuana - among
adolescents receiving treatment in Ohio's system of care only guarantees
further heartache for these adolescents and their families.

The best approach to reduce adolescent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use
is to establish and convey a consistent societal expectation - no use of
alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs by adolescents is acceptable.