'90S SAW RISE IN HIGH SCHOOLERS' DRUG USE

SURVEY: Teens reported more dope and less sex toward end of decade,
federal health officials say.

ATLANTA - Cocaine, marijuana and cigarette use among high school
students increased during the 1990s, according to a government survey
that also says fewer teens are having sex and those who do are more
likely to use condoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, issued
Thursday, showed improvement in some risky behavior - more students
wear seat belts and fewer are carrying weapons.

"There is reason to feel optimistic about many of the trends in risk
behaviors among our young people," CDC Director Jeffrey Koplan said.
"However, we have much left to do."

The increases in smoking and drug use came despite years of
government-funded media campaigns urging teen-agers to stay clean and
sober. The drop in sexual activity came during a period in which
health officials urged everyone to practice safe sex to avoid AIDS.

Every two years since 1991, the CDC has distributed questionnaires to
students to measure behavior that endangers their health. This year's
survey involved 15,349 students in grades nine through 12.

In 1991, 14.7 percent of the students surveyed said they use
marijuana. That number steadily increased to 26.7 percent in 1999.
Students reporting they have tried marijuana at least once increased
from 31.3 percent in 1991 to 47.2 percent in 1999.

Howard Simon, spokesman for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America,
said the past decade brought increased drug use among teen-agers, but
he expects new figures to show improvement.

"We have reversed those trends and started to edge back down just in
the last year," he said. "But don't get me wrong, we're still at the
top of a very dangerous and disturbing mountain.'

Andy Meisner, a spokesman for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of
America, said the marijuana boom started to trail off in 1997. But he
added that alcohol and tobacco are major concerns.

While alcohol use has remained steady since 1991, the student survey
indicates more teens are smoking.

In 1991, 27.5 percent of the students surveyed reported they had
smoked at least once in the previous month. That increased to a high
of 36.4 percent in 1997 then dropped to 34.8 percent in 1999. However,
frequent cigarette use gradually climbed from 12.7 percent in 1991 to
16.8 percent in 1999.

"I think 35 percent is alarmingly high, especially with all that we
know about the devastating affects of tobacco use," said Cassandra
Welch, spokeswoman for the American Lung Association.