Words Of Praise

YOUTH ALCOHOL INITIATIVE HAVING IMPACT

That the Youth Alcohol Initiative has secured a $100,000 federal grant to
continue past its original funding period is a tribute to the success of
the program operated through the Boyd-Greenup County Champions for the
Drug-Free Kentucky.

The program has proved effective in reducing drug, alcohol and tobacco use
among middle school students in the two counties. The grant will enable it
to "continue and expand" for up to another five years.

The local program is one of 157 nationwide to be awarded funding through
the federal Drug-Free Communities Support program. It currently is in the
fourth and final year of funding through the Kentucky Incentives for
Prevention project. That grant is no longer renewable.

The program, which operates in the Ashland, Fairview, Boyd County,
Raceland-Worthington and Greenup County school districts, targets students
in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. It provides a curriculum that
gives students extensive information about drugs, tobacco and alcohol use
and is aimed at prevention.

Through extensive surveys of all students, the program has determined that
past 30-day smoking by eighth-graders in the two counties has decreased
by 8 percent in the past three years, while past 30-day alcohol use has
declined by 9 percent and marijuana use has dropped by 1 percent.

The program also found improved compliance by both restaurants and liquor
retailers in checking the identification of young-looking customers
attempting to purchase alcohol.

The program has not eliminated drug, alcohol and tobacco use among young
teens in the two counties, but is helping to reduce their use. It is hoped
the levels of use will continue to decline as the program continues and expands.