Marion County students reduce alcohol, drug use
Survey information recently was released that indicated Marion County is making strides regarding the reduction of teen alcohol, drug, and tobacco abuse. However, there was a slight increase in inhalant use.
In 1995, more than 49 percent of students in grades six, eight, 10, and 12, admitted to drinking alcohol more than once in the past month. That rate decreased to 25.9 percent in 1997, and has fluctuated between 24 and 28 percent in ensuing years. This year, 22 percent of teens reported drinking in the past month — nearly 10 percent lower than the state rate.
According to survey responses, marijuana use also has declined from a high of 11.5 percent who said they had used it within the past 30 days to four percent in 2006. This is less than half of the state's rate.
Cigarette smoking decreased from a high of 23 percent saying they had smoked at least once in the past month in 1995 to an all-time low of 5.8 percent responding "yes" to that question in 2006.
This year's survey results show a slight increase in inhalant use and points out the need for parents and teachers to become educated on this practice.
Nearly five percent of county students surveyed had inhaled the contents of an aerosol spray can, gases, or other substances in order to get "high" in the past 30 days. More than seven percent of eighth graders did so.
Standard household products such as aerosol sprays can be inhaled or "huffed" to produce an altered state or feeling of being "high."
"Although these rates reflect low actual numbers, this is alarming since permanent brain damage and even death can occur even with infrequent use of inhalants," said Linda Ogden, director of Communities in School of Marion County. "Some of the respondents reported they had used inhalants in excess of 20 times in a month."
Approximately 220 districts and 70,000 Kansas students participated in the annual survey. In 2006, 83 percent of Marion County students in grades six, eight, 10, and 12 participated in the survey — 93 percent sixth graders, 96.5 percent eighth graders, 83 percent 10th graders, and 63.5 percent 12th graders.
For more information about the survey, go to www.kac.org.
