DRUG USE FALLS AMONG HIGH SCHOOLERS IN SHELBY, INCREASES IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Although Shelby County high school students are drinking less, pushing
away more packs of smokes and using fewer drugs than before, middle
school students have increased their substance use, according to a
survey released by the school system.

Nearly 8,661 Shelby County school system students in grades six to 11
participated in the Kentucky-based Pride Survey, an anonymous
standardized survey given to middle and high schools students across
the nation. The survey charts both substance use and behavioral trends.

The Pride survey showed the Shelby County high school students'
illicit drug use declined 6 percent between the 2002-03 and the
2003-04 school years. Alcohol use declined 5 percent during that time.

Results for the school system's middle school students showed an
increase in drug, alcohol and tobacco use. According to Shelby County
school board member Trey Ireland, the increase was slight -- less than
1 percent -- and that all figures were still well below the average
for middle schools nationwide.

Shelby County student services supervisor Donna Dickson said efforts
to curb substance abuse this year are in place.

Groups such as SWAT, or Student War Against Temptation, mandatory drug
testing for students in both athletics, competitive extracurricular
activities and those with parking privileges have led to lower numbers
of substance abuse in the county's high schools. SWAT asks students to
voluntarily test for drugs.

Middle school students are drug tested only if they participate in
athletics. Dickson said while this will not likely change soon, SWAT
efforts will intensify at middle schools.

"Intervention is most needed at the middle school level. If we don't
reach them there, it is often too late," Dickson said.

The 2002-03 national Pride survey showed students increase their
illicit drug use -- inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines,
barbituates, heroin steroids and hallucinogens -- as they grow older.
High school freshmen, sophomores and juniors used illicit drugs about
17 percent more than students in junior high, or grades six through
eight during the 2002-03 school year.

Students also drink and smoke more as they grow older.

According to the survey, more than 15 percent of students nationwide
smoked cigarettes in grades nine through 11 than in middle school.
Approximately 26 percent more senior high students consumed alcohol
than their middle school counterparts during the 2002-03 school year.

Students in 12th grade smoked, drank and used illicit drugs far more
often than other students. It was only this past year that Shelby
County surveyed 12th-graders.