TEEN DRUG USE DROPS SHARPLY

The trend in teen drug use is down across the board. But problem areas
remain, and education efforts must continue if the decline is to continue.
Smoking, drinking and drug use among American teenagers dropped
significantly in recent years. Use of LSD dropped 60 percent and Ecstasy by
20 percent. Marijuana use dropped among eighth graders from 18 percent in
1996 to 14 percent in 2001.

That is heartening not only because of the decline but also because the
numbers are so low. If only 14 percent of eighth-graders are smoking pot on
a regular basis, not many of their peers are joining them.

The news on tobacco and alcohol use also was promising. Teens cut back on
smoking by an estimated 40 percent to 50 percent in the eighth and 10th
grades over the past six years.

Alcohol use, meanwhile, dropped among all three age groups in the survey.
Among 12th-graders, 71.5 percent said they had consumed alcohol in the past
year, down from 73.3 percent in 2001. Sixty percent of 10th-graders said
they had used alcohol in the past year, down from 63.5 percent in 2001,
while 38.7 percent of eighth-graders said they had used alcohol in the past
year, down from 41.9 percent in 2001.

That's still high, reflecting the stubborn view among many teens, not to
mention parents, that underage drinking is a rite of passage. Nonetheless,
with the decline, maybe the message about the dangers of alcohol abuse is
getting through.

Perhaps this should lead to a targeted approach on the part of health
officials. While illicit drugs remain a hazard -- especially the use of
crack cocaine -- cigarettes and alcohol still are the most threatening
problems. First and foremost, educators need to pound home the message that
drinking and driving don't mix. If we can't prevent teens from drinking,
maybe we at least can convince them not to climb behind the wheel of a car
after doing so.

Smoking remains the nation's leading preventable cause of premature death.
But educators are making inroads with the message that smoking is highly
addictive and deadly. Raising taxes on cigarettes also discourages
cash-short kids from smoking.

And, apparently, the best news is that smoking no longer is considered cool
among many teens. Young people reportedly are refusing to date peers who
smell like ashtrays.

Talk about a reason not to smoke!