LOCAL DRUG NUMBERS BEAT STATE

A higher percentage of Washington County public school sophomores and
seniors has used Ecstasy, marijuana, crack, cocaine and LSD than
their peers across the state, according to the 2001 Maryland
Adolescent Survey.

The survey is administered by the Maryland State Department of
Education and given every two years to a random cluster of students
in sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th grades. Of the 1,654 students who
were asked to complete the survey, 88 percent - or 1,455 - responded.

Of those who responded, 391 were sixth-graders, 365 were
eighth-graders, 330 were 10th-graders and 369 were 12th-graders.

The results indicate the use of designer drugs, such as Ecstasy, has
increased significantly among county 10th- and 12th-graders since
1998. The percentages of county students using designer drugs are
also well above state averages.

In 2001, 17.4 percent of 10th-graders who responded said they used
designer drugs at least once, compared to 3.4 percent in 1998. In
12th grade, 17.1 percent of responding students said they used
designer drugs at least once, compared to 9.1 percent in 1998.

The state averages for 10th-graders using designer drugs is 8.5
percent and for 12th-graders is 12.9 percent.

A statement from the state on the survey notes that the sampling
strategy used in the survey permits generalizations about usage
patterns at the local public school level and at the state level.

"I'm surprised that that has occurred in Washington County," said
School Board President J. Herbert Hardin. "We have to do our homework
- - dig into it and find out what's causing it."

"These recent statistics on rising drug use among our teens, coupled
with other indicators having to do with teen pregnancy and the high
incidence of reported child abuse in Washington County, should cause
our community to take notice," said Interim Schools Superintendent
Elizabeth Morgan.

Hardin said the school system offers drug and alcohol awareness
classes in the high schools, but that the programs should be expanded
and improved. He said the school system will work with local drug and
adolescent agencies to curb the potential drug and alcohol problems
among teens.

"This is not just a school issue, it's a community issue," said Carol
Mowen, the board's public information officer.