TEENS GIVE ADULTS A D+ IN FIGHTING YOUTH DRUG USE

Teen-agers give American adults a barely passing grade on their efforts to
stop young people from drinking, smoking and using drugs, according to a
"report card" released Wednesday. The young people also believe adults are
not doing much better combating gangs or gun violence, the survey found.

On the positive side, the teen-agers surveyed gave a higher grade to their
elders' efforts to create jobs, provide quality education and spend time
with their families.

The research was based on a nationwide survey of 981 teen-agers. It was
sponsored by Uhlich Children's Home in Chicago, a youth social services
organization.

The lowest grade - a D+ - went to adult efforts to stop youngsters from
drinking, smoking tobacco and using drugs, and for efforts at running the
U.S. government.

"We thought that we needed to turn the table on adults, and give teen-agers
a chance to grade adults on issues of importance to the well-being of young
people," said Tom Vanden Berk, president of Uhlich Children's Home.

Adult efforts to get rid of gangs rated only a C-, but they got a C+ when
it came to attempts to keep schools safe from violence and crime.

The highest grade, a B-, went to adults' efforts to create jobs, provide
quality education, spend time with their families, fight AIDS and prevent
child abuse.

The survey of boys and girls ages 12 to 19 had an error margin of plus or
minus 3 percentage points. It was conducted in January and February by
Teenage Research Unlimited, a research company based in Northbrook, Ill.