RISKY BUSINESS

Teens' Use Of Pot, Cocaine And Cigarettes Rose Steadily In 1990S While
Fewer Teens Are Having Sex, CDC Says

ATLANTA - Cocaine, marijuana and cigarette use among high school
students consistently 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
yesterday, showed improvement in some risky behavior - more students
wear seat belts and fewer are carrying weapons or contemplating suicide.

"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. Too many of our children are still
engaging in activities that put them at risk for health problems now
and into adulthood."

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
a scientific sampling of 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 used
marijuana. That number steadily increased to 26.7 percent in 1999.
Students reporting that they have tried marijuana at least once
increased from 31.3 percent in 1991 to 47.2 percent in 1999.

In 1991, 1.7 percent of the students surveyed said they used cocaine
at least once in the prior month. By 1999 that number rose to 4
percent. Those who had at least tried cocaine increased from 5.9
percent in 1991 to 9.5 percent in 1999.

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

"We have reversed those trends and started to edge back down just in
the last year," he said.

(SIDEBAR)

Talk about the news

* What more can the government do to convince young people to stay
away from tobacco and drugs?

* What factors contribute to an increase in these risky behaviors
among teen-agers?

* What should schools and families do to prevent teen drug and tobacco
use?