REPORT TIES TEEN SMOKING TO DRUG ABUSE

Young people who smoke cigarettes are much more likely to use drugs
and abuse alcohol than non-smoking youth, a new study says.

A study of 15- to 19-year-olds by the Canadian Centre on Substance
Abuse found a "very strong" association between tobacco use and
hazardous drinking, use of marijuana, and other drugs.

"What surprised me was the strength of the association," said Chris
Davis, one of the researchers for the study.

The study found 91% of smoking youth used marijuana some time in the
year before the study, compared to 29% of non-smoking youth.

Young people who smoke were more likely to binge drink and more than
twice as likely to be hazardous drinkers than non-smokers.

About 31% reported using cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy or
hallucinogens, compared with only 3.5% of non-smoking youth.

Researchers cautioned that the connection between tobacco and other
drug use doesn't necessarily mean tobacco is a "gateway" drug that
leads to other drug use.

OPEN DIALOGUE

"As a parent, it would tell me to speak to my child more openly,"
said Rita Notarandrea, director of research and policy at the
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. "Tobacco use is a great indicator
that the child is abusing alcohol or abusing other substances."

Mike Beauchesne, who runs the addictions program at the Dave Smith
Youth Treatment Centre, said most youths they treat have smoked.

"The majority of individuals have started with tobacco, and then
progressed to alcohol and then progressed to cannabis," Beauchesne said.

"There is an increased risk present for further illicit substance
abuse among tobacco users."

Debbie McCulloch, a tobacco prevention supervisor with Ottawa Public
Health, said tobacco use among young people is a concern on its own
because of the health problems it causes later in life.

"It's critical to prevent tobacco use before age 19."

BUTTING OUT

Ottawa Public Health says tobacco use among local high schoolers has
dropped from 21% in 2003 to 16% in 2005.

However, Davis said the decline in tobacco use is not mirrored by a
decline in alcohol and drug use.

"Rates of marijuana use and use of other substances have increased,"
Davis said.

OTHER FINDINGS INCLUDE:

- - 27% of 15- to-19-year-olds reported they smoked cigarettes at least
occasionally.

- - 98% of young smokers drank alcohol, compared to 75% of non-smokers.

- - When they consumed alcohol, smokers drank twice as much as non-smokers.

The study used data from the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey, which
interviewed 1,020 teenagers over a four-month period.