FEWER STUDENTS DRINKING, SMOKING

Inhalant Use Is A Problem

Fewer Fairfax County students are binge drinking, smoking cigarettes
and using marijuana than five years ago, according to a newly
released survey of 14,000 public school students.

But the 2005 Fairfax County Youth Survey also shows that bullying and
inhalant use are problems and that more Fairfax students feel
depressed than their peers nationwide. Blog

Fairfax government, school and community leaders use the survey --
administered every two years to gauge risky behavior among young
people -- to help develop prevention programs and inform parents of
potential dangers. Randomly selected students in sixth, eighth, 10th
and 12th grades answered the questions in December.

Denise Raybon, Fairfax's prevention coordinator, said the survey was
encouraging about teen drinking and drug use, but parents and
officials need to remain vigilant. She said the county hopes to
schedule community meetings in the fall to discuss the results.

"It certainly showed us that most of our students are thriving and
engaging in fewer risky behaviors than they were in 2001, but
certainly some of our youth are struggling," Raybon said. "We'd love
to have some dialogue in the community about how we can all take some
responsibility."

In 2005, 47.9 percent of seniors, 29.5 percent of sophomores and 16
percent of eighth-graders reported drinking alcohol in the past
month. The percentage has decreased in all three age groups since
2001, when 53.4 percent of seniors, 36 percent of 10th-graders and 21
percent of eighth-graders said they had drunk in the past month.

Many students, however, continue to put themselves or others at risk.
According to the survey, nearly 20 percent of teenagers 16 or older
said they have driven a car after drinking alcohol. More than 27
percent said they had ridden in a car with someone who had been drinking.

Many of the students also said they have struggled with depression.
About 32 percent of the students said they had feelings of sadness or
hopelessness each day over a period of weeks that had led them to
stop their usual routine. About 13 percent said they had considered suicide.

"I was very sad to see the number of students who are thinking about
suicide," said School Board member Kaye Kory (Mason). "We have kids
who are depressed or experiencing bullying or harassing behavior, and
I would like to have us give as much attention to these problems as
we do to alcohol and drug abuse."

The Fairfax Partnership for Youth, a nonprofit group, has held a
series of sessions at schools and churches to help parents and
teachers recognize signs of depression in teenagers. Susan Lydick,
program coordinator for the group's Youth Suicide and Depression task
force, said the group hopes to help parents differentiate between
typical teen angst and more serious problems.

"They think it's just going to pass," Lydick said. "People aren't
aware how serious depression is."

The survey indicated that inhalant use -- using aerosol products such
as cleaning supplies to get high -- is a concern among younger
children. About 5.5 percent of eighth-graders said they'd used
inhalants in the past month.

Several School Board members said they are convinced that many
students weren't honest when they said they weren't involved in
gangs. Nearly 3 percent of students said they were involved in a
gang, compared with 5.6 percent in 2001.

"Based on our monthly disciplinary hearings, we're seeing that
problem continue," said School Board member Brad Center (Lee).