NATIONAL SURVEY FINDS POT USE ON THE RISE AMONG FALL RIVER YOUTH

FALL RIVER - Following national trends, more city youths are
experimenting with marijuana use, according to a survey of middle and
high school students.

The survey of high school students found that the percentage reporting
marijuana use within the past 30 days increased by 9 percentage points
from a 2008 level of 22 percent. Among individual grade levels, the
largest increase was among those in the junior class, with an increase
from 24.1 percent in 2008 to 40.2 percent this year.

That trend, according to BOLD Coalition Staff Director Craig Gaspard,
is also being observed nationally.

A 2011 survey conducted by the University of Michigan and funded by
the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that marijuana use among
10th graders increased from 14.2 percent in 2006 to 17.6 percent in
2011. During that same time frame usage among 12th graders increased
from 18.3 percent to 22.6 percent.

Gaspard said the trend among high schoolers comes as surveys among
adults indicates more relaxed attitudes regarding marijuana usage.
"I think more people think marijuana is OK because of the emergence of
medical marijuana," Gaspard said.

The increased acceptance of marijuana use shouldn't alleviate concerns
about youth consumption of the substance.

Gaspard pointed out that the Fall River study also found that
marijuana consumption was beginning at earlier ages, which raises
concerns about the effects on learning.

"The earlier start is more problematic, so yes I'm concerned," Gaspard
said. "Just because it's happening every where doesn't mean we should
take steps to reverse the trend. It's important people don't feel
powerless to do something about it because without a doubt the higher
marijuana rates correlate with lower grades. And we know Fall River is
concerned about academic performance so marijuana use is a concern."

In addition to questioning students about marijuana usage, the middle
school survey also covered tobacco, alcohol and other illegal uses;
safety- and violence-related behaviors; suicidal ideation; and
regularity of physical activity. The survey of high school students
also covered questions related to sexual behaviors. In all, more than
2,100 students responded to the survey that was conducted during school.

Among those topics, Gaspard said that most usage rates for alcohol and
tobacco has increased at the high school level, with 18.4 percent of
high school students reporting smoking cigarettes during the last
month, compared to 15.9 percent in 2008. Alcohol use also increased
from 37.3 percent to 39.4 percent during the same period. Both
categories, however, are in decline from 2005 numbers, when 21.8
percent of high school students reported tobacco use and 41.4 percent
reported alcohol use.

While those numbers represent usage during the 30 days prior to the
survey, Gaspard said he was encouraged by results showing lifetime use
of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana, meaning consumption at anytime
prior to the survey, has decreased since 2006. Respondents also
indicated first time use at later ages.

"Even a delay in experimenting is a good thing because the younger you
start the more likely you are to have problems later in life," Gaspard
said. "It's good these trends are either flat or decreasing, but I
think we still want to get a hand on marijuana and prescription drug abuse."

While the results related to substance abuse gained most of the
attention, Gaspard also voiced concerns about the results related to
violence-related behaviors and suicide.

At the high school level, Gaspard said twice as many girls reported
having hurt or injured themselves on purpose. More female respondents
also reported being hurt physically or sexually on a date, having
sexual contact with someone against their will and seriously
considering suicide.

"Boys tend to have high-risk behaviors, but girls seem to fly under
the radar," Gaspard said.