DRUG USE, VIOLENCE DOWN AMONG TEENS

Marijuana and alcohol abuse and other unhealthy choices have
declined among students in the Malden Public Schools according to a
survey sponsored by Healthy Malden, Inc.

The Youth Risk Behavior survey, which is given to high school
students every odd year and middle school students every even year
shows a 5 percent decrease in alcohol abuse, 6 percent decrease in
tobacco use and a 3 percent decrease in marijuana use since 2003.

"This survey is pretty standard each year at the schools, but what
the numbers show is a great improvement," said Dr. David Kilpatrick,
executive director of Healthy Malden. "This shows that a lot of the
programs that we are doing in the schools are working."

The survey, which is used in other schools nationwide, asks a wide
range of questions focusing not just on drug abuse, but also
violence, eating habits, safety choices such as wearing bike helmets
or seat belts and sexual activity. The purpose is to gain knowledge
on what issues are most affecting the students' lifestyles and what
types of programs Healthy Malden should focus on in the schools.

"We have now been doing the survey long enough where we have the
ability to weed out inaccurate information and really get a good
census on what is really taking place both inside and outside of our
schools," said Kilpatrick. "There are a lot of surveys that other
area schools do that are pretty similar, and that helps us also in
working with the community to prevent unhealthy behavior."

Healthy Malden runs several programs throughout the city for
residents of all ages, but its focus on the lifestyle of students
and children in the area is very prominent throughout the schools.

"We do everything we can to educate the students. We usually have a
few speakers each year, sometimes former junkies, sometimes (Police
Chief Ken) Coye comes in to talk to the kids," said Kilpatrick. "We
also offer several after school programs that can provide some fun
activities to the kids instead of pushing them toward unhealthy choices."

The results of the surveys are dispersed throughout the education
department and given to the board of health and the center for
disease control. The more positive results the city achieves, the
greater chance that the programs have for funding.

"We are pleased with the results and we hope that it shows that our
programs do work," said Kilpatrick. "We have already been working
with the city on the funding they received to prevent gang activity,
and we hope to use these positive survey results to further help the
city and the schools move forward."