DRUGS PREVALENT IN AIRDRIE TEENS

Still, Results Inline With Canada's Teenage Landscape

A recent community assessment conducted by Airdrie's Social Planning Board
reaffirms the fact that many of our city's youth are experimenting with
drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

The survey, which was conducted at three local high schools in April of
2003, asked a total of 286 students between the ages of 14 and 19, about
the issues most prevalent in society.

Sixty per cent of those surveyed stated that they believe that drugs are a
problem in Airdrie, with approximately 100 of the 286 students reporting
that they have tried marijuana. The use of alcohol among Airdrie's youth
also appeared in large amounts, with approximately 75 per cent of those
surveyed admitting to having drank alcohol, with one half of the students
saying that they had tried smoking cigarettes. The use of hallucinogenic
drugs also appeared in the survey, with approximately one in six students
responding that they have tried such drugs as acid or magic mushrooms.

Although these numbers may seem shocking to most, a 2002 study conducted by
the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission indicates that Airdrie's
youth exhibit the same general participation patterns as the rest of North
America.

"These are really quite in line with what AADAC reports," Colleen Lauinger,
of the City's social planning committee, told council members while
presenting their findings at the Mar. 15 City Council meeting.

According to AADAC's 2002 Alberta Youth Experience Survey, alcohol was
found to be the most prevalent substance used by Alberta youth, with 56.3
per cent of the grade 7 to 12 students surveyed admitting to having used it
at least once in the previous year.

The next most commonly used substance was marijuana with 27.6 per cent,
followed by cigarettes at 16.2 per cent.

Another fact in AADAC's report, although not a surprising one, is that the
use of alcohol increases with each grade, with 17.6 per cent of grade 7
students answering that they have drank alcohol, compared to 81.2 per cent
in grade 12.

As well as targeting the issues of drugs and alcohol, Airdrie's community
assessment survey asked youth about such problems such as crime, bullying
and abuse. Fifty per cent of youth reported that they felt bullying was a
significant problem in their school or community, while 38 per cent stated
that they feel crime is also a problem in the city.

While 58 per cent admitted to committing some sort of crime in their life,
(22 per cent of which lead to the involvement of police or court), only 43
per cent said they would definitely report a crime if they saw one being
committed.

Very evident throughout the survey was the fact that youth are much more
likely to confide in a friend or peer and rarely rely on parents, teachers
or other adults to confide in when they are experiencing problems. Of the
34 per cent who reported emotional abuse, 17 per cent that reported
physical abuse and the 10 per cent that reported sexual abuse, only 53 per
cent of those say they told someone of that abuse. When asked who they told
of the abuse, 67 per cent said they told a friend, with only 21 per cent
telling a parent or caregiver.

Lauinger told council that this is definitely one area of concern, stating
that more effort should be made to encourage troubled youth to seek help
from an responsible adult, such as a school councillor.

"I'm quite confident that their issues would be dealt with better," she
told council.

Although the results indicate that youth are reluctant to approach their
parents with problems, 84 per cent of them did answer that their parents
are supportive most of the time, with 75 per cent of those rating the
relationship with their parents as good or very good.