STUDY SHOWS DROP IN TEENS' USE OF DRUGS

The use of alcohol and other drugs by Lucas County youngsters is
decreasing among most age groups, according to a study released by the
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Lucas County.

The report is the sixth in a series of biannual reports sponsored by
the board.

Questionnaires about drug use were answered by 28,600 students in
fifth through 12th grades in the county.

The report notes that except for high school seniors, the number of
students who said they had never had a drink of alcohol had "increased
considerably" over the study done two years ago.

In 1998, for example, 24.5 per cent of high school juniors said they
had never consumed any alcohol, compared to the most recent study in
which 29.2 per cent reported they had never had an alcoholic drink.

The percentage of seniors who abstain was relatively unchanged with
22.7 reporting they had never had alcohol in 1998, compared to 23.9 in
the new study.

The use of other drugs showed a general decline as well, with some
fluctuations based on different drugs and grade levels.

The report shows that a trend toward increased marijuana use, which
began in 1992, had leveled off in 1998 and dropped significantly in
the new survey except for those in 12th grade.

Two years ago, 23.7 per cent of eighth graders said they had used
marijuana, compared to only 13 per cent in the most recent study.

Use by high school seniors was nearly unchanged, with 42.4 per cent
reporting marijuana use in 1998, compared to 42.6 per cent in the new
survey.

The reported use of cocaine has remained relatively low for the
student population since the first test was administered in 1990.

The highest percentage ever reported was 5.4 per cent by students in
the 11th grade in 1998.

Those in the 11th grade in the most recent study showed 4.3 per cent
had used cocaine.

"I'm not surprised," said Merrill Grant, superintendent of Toledo
Public Schools. "There's been a lot of work done [on the problem of
teen drug and alcohol use], and it's paid off for us."

Dr. Grant said the district, like others across the region and nation,
has devoted significant resources to find effective strategies to
fight the problem.

However, the main reason the report's numbers are dropping are
concerned parents and teachers dedicated to educating teenagers about
the dangers of drug and alcohol use, the superintendent said.

Although the results are encouraging, Nancy Rice, director of
prevention services for the board, said, "There still are more than 75
per cent of high school seniors drinking and that's both a legal issue
and a health issue."

She added that a question in the survey indicates that 82 per cent of
junior and senior high school students disapprove of friends who have
one or two drinks every day, and about the same percentage disapprove
of friends who smoke marijuana regularly.

She said those disapproval ratings and a reduction in use of alcohol
and other drugs by younger students may be a good sign for the future.

The most recent study asked for the first time about the use of
"ecstasy" and other so-called designer drugs. The survey said 10 per
cent of high school seniors reported using designer drugs.

"You don't focus prevention efforts on just one drug," Ms. Rice said,
although the result is notable.

Ms. Rice said the results are consistent across the neighborhoods and
areas surveyed.

"Some people think that if you eliminate one geographical area or
another the results would change, but they wouldn't," she said.

"These surveys go across the county, and if there's a problem in one
area, there's the same problem in another area," she said.