11,000 HAWAII STUDENTS NEED DRUG-ALCOHOL TREATMENT

Health Department Report Says 11% Of Students Require Help

HONOLULU -(AP)- About one in 10 students in Hawaii from grades six through
high school is in need of treatment for substance abuse problems, according
to a state Department of Health report released Wednesday.

And the counties with the highest percentage of students needing treatment
were Maui County and the Big Island.

The 2002 Hawaii Student, Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use Study shows 11
percent, or 11,319 students, were deemed in need of treatment for abuse of
drugs, alcohol, or both.

Despite the numbers, the state can only afford to provide in-school
treatment programs to 1,500 students each year. Treatment programs are
provided in 29 of 44 public high schools and just three of 56 middle schools
statewide.

''Less than 15 percent of students diagnosed with a substance abuse problem
from the current study have utilized treatment facilities,'' the study
found. ''Students are much more likely to receive help for a substance abuse
problem if they perceive they need help and if they are told by others to
get help.''

Renee Pearson, a University of Hawaii professor who conducted the study for
the Health Department, said the positive side is that the percentage of
students needing treatment has declined from 13 percent in 2000 and 16
percent in 1998.

A survey was administered to all 6th-, 8th-, 10th- and 12th-grade students
who received parental consent to participate. About 28,000 students from 181
public schools and 34 private schools responded to the anonymous
questionnaire given every other year since 1987.

About half of the state's high school seniors reported they have tried an
illicit drug at least once, followed by sophomores (40 percent), 8th graders
(22 percent) and 6th graders (10 percent).

''It's important to note that the majority of students do not use drugs and
they never tried drugs,'' Pearson said.

Marijuana was the most prevalent drug, with 46 percent of seniors reporting
they have used it, according to the study. Marijuana was followed by
inhalants, Ecstasy, hallucinogens, methamphetamine, cocaine and sedatives.

''I think the most compelling part (of the study) is that rates have
stabilized or are declining,'' said Elaine Wilson, head of the state Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Division. ''The second most compelling is that there's still
a lot of treatment and prevention to do because we don't want to lose any
ground.''

While overall illicit drug use rates have stabilized over the past six years
and remain lower than the national average, Ecstasy use continues to climb
in isle high schools and now has reached nationwide levels.

About 10 percent of seniors reported trying Ecstasy last year, double the
amount in 1998.

Some reasons for the spike are students believe Ecstasy is less harmful and
is more easily obtainable than other drugs, Pearson said.

The study found marijuana was the most available illicit drug, followed by
Ecstasy, hallucinogens, cocaine and methamphetamine.

Meanwhile, health officials were encouraged by the decline in tobacco and
alcohol use. They said the availability of alcohol and tobacco has been
drastically cut since the 1990s, partly because of ''stings'' targeting
merchants who sell to minors.

About 75 percent of seniors, 65 percent of sophomores, 43 percent of 8th
graders and 20 percent of 6th graders reported they have had alcohol. All
the figures were down from previous years.

The study also found tobacco use rates were at an all-time low in 2002.

Some of the study's goals were to assess the prevalence and trends of
substance use and identify treatment needs within the community. It was
funded with funds from the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.

The study will be used to identify where funds should be directed and what
drug and alcohol prevention measures are needed, officials said.

On the Net:

2002 Hawaii Student, Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use Study:
http://www.hawaii.gov/health/resource/drug-abuse.html