SURVEY SHOWS CHANGES IN STUDENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

A survey taken by Moffat County High School students in the 2007-08
school year reveals that alcohol use among the student population had
declined since 2005-06 while tobacco and marijuana use increased
during the same period.

MCHS principal Thom Schnellinger said he thinks results of the 2007-08
Healthy Kids Colorado Survey reflect concerns within the local
community as well as the behaviors of the student body.

"The issues we're talking about are indeed community issues," he
said.

The survey results, which were prepared by Denver-based OMNI Research
and Training, take stock of various adolescent behaviors and
conditions, including substance abuse and mental health.

Survey results show that alcohol use among MCHS students within a
30-day period has dropped three percentage points — from 55 percent
during 2005-06 school year to 52 percent last year.

Alcohol use among local students still is a concern, Schnellinger
said, especially considering that 72 percent of students surveyed last
year indicated that alcohol was an easy substance to obtain.

During the same time, chewing tobacco and marijuana use during the
one-month period before the survey grew by 5 and 6 percentage points,
respectively.

While those numbers may not appear to be dramatic increases,
Schnellinger said they still are disquieting.

"These are faces of students I see in the halls every day," he said.
"These numbers reflect real people.

"That's why we need to be concerned."

Other numbers related to the survey gave Schnellinger cause for
concern, he said, including a 3-percent increase in students who said
they have used methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes. The
percentage increased from 6 percent in 2005-06 to 9 percent in 2007-08.

Students who responded that they had used cigarettes in the previous
30 days jumped from 17 percent in 2005-06 to 31 percent in 2007-08,
creating a 14-percent increase between the two surveys.

Schnellinger said the increase might be partially because of rising
reports of snuff use among the high school's student body.

The survey findings listed only cigarettes and chewing tobacco in its
30-day substance use report. However, one of the questions in the
tobacco use section of the survey asked students if they had used a
variety of tobacco products, including snuff, during the previous 30
days.

MCHS administrators have seen a recent surge in snuff use among their
students. In March, MCHS records showed that seven out of 18, or more
than half, of tobacco-related incidents at the high school involved
snuff, a smokeless and chewless tobacco.

In the coming school year, Schnellinger said he intends to add more
staff and administration trainings to identify the signs of substance
abuse among high school students.

However, Schnellinger said he also hopes to incorporate other means of
addressing student substance use.

"I think we'd like to look at some rehab scenarios," he
said.

By the numbers

Healthy Kids Colorado Survey results

Percentage of Moffat County High School students who indicated they
had used the following substances during a 30-day period

Alcohol

• 2005-06: 55 percent

• 2007-08: 52 percent

• Difference: 3 percent decrease

Cigarettes

• 2005-06: 17 percent

• 2007-08: 31 percent

• Difference: 14 percent increase

Chewing tobacco

• 2005-06: 23 percent

• 2007-08: 28 percent

• Difference: 5 percent increase

Marijuana

• 2005-06: 17 percent

• 2007-08: 23 percent

• Difference: 6 percent increase

Source: 2007-08 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey