Pubdate: Wed, 14 May 2003 Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA) Copyright: 2003 Santa Cruz Sentinel Contact: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/394 Author: Ramona Turner TEEN DRUG, ALCOHOL USE DROPS BUT STILL HIGH SANTA CRUZ - A survey of local youth released Tuesday revealed drug and alcohol use among teens has decreased substantially since the first survey nine years ago, but local use remains above the state average. The results of the 2002 Santa Cruz County Youth Drug and Alcohol Survey were released Tuesday at a press conference at the downtown Teen Center. The survey was sponsored by all local school districts, law enforcement agencies, the county Office of Education and Health Services Agency, and United Way of Santa Cruz County. The 2002 survey found 73 percent of 11th-graders had tried alcohol. In the first survey in 1994, that figure was 90 percent. The state average for alcohol use among 11th-graders is now 65 percent. About 46 percent of the 11th-graders surveyed in 2002 said they had used alcohol in the last 30 days, down from 55 percent in 1994. The survey also showed alcohol use was more prevalent than marijuana, cigarettes, inhalants, cocaine, psychedelics and heroin among 11th-graders here. A Watsonville High School junior interviewed Tuesday said he doesn't think drug use among his friends - especially marijuana smoking - is a result of peer pressure. He advised parents and others trying to steer teens from drugs to find out why youths do them in the first place. While blaming peer pressure tends to be popular among health officials, he said, that's not the case with today's teens. "It's not the cool factor any more," said the teen, whom the Sentinel is not naming because of his age. "The person I know (who smokes marijuana regularly), they've been doing it for as long as I've known them. There was no peer pressure to get them to do it, and they don't use peer pressure to get me to do it. It's a routine." More than 3,000 county students in grades seven, nine and 11 were polled for the study. That's about 42 percent of all students in those grade levels. The results show older students see daily drug and alcohol use as less harmful than younger students did. Those surveyed also said alcohol and marijuana are easier to get than cigarettes. While applauding the decrease in drug and alcohol use, those at Tuesday's press conference said youth, parent and community groups must work harder so all young adults know the danger of drug and alcohol use. Anti-drug messages can be hard to deliver in Santa Cruz County, where some parents accept marijuana or use it themselves, survey organizers said. The role of medical marijuana in the drug debate also complicates matters. "We need to explain the use of marijuana and determine whether we are sending mixed messages," said Judy Darnell of the United Way's Together for Youth program. "Marijuana use among our youth has motivational and social effects that affect their lives." Armed with statistics of his own, Santa Cruz Police Chief Steve Belcher addressed the problem of youth alcohol use. "The United States has a culture that thinks it's OK to drink alcohol," he said. "But it's a huge problem. We have between 12 and 15 officers on duty Saturday nights. It is typical for all of them to be tied up with alcohol-related issues, such as a party, that delays our response to other problems for an hour or more." Among Belcher's other statistics: Alcohol is involved in one-third of all deadly teen car crashes; 40 percent of kids who drink before they are age 13 develop alcohol issues when they are older; 16-year-old girls who drink are more likely to suffer depression than those who don't; college students nationwide spend $5 billion on alcohol consumption - more than they spend on books and supplies; and damage from underage drinking costs taxpayers nationwide $53 billion dollars annually. Youth drug and alcohol use Here's a look at local youth drug use compared to the state average. GRADE 11 SANTA CRUZ STATE Alcohol 71% 65% Tobacco 40% 56% Marijuana 51% 44% Inhalants 14% 13% Cocaine 9% 9% Methamphetamine 6% 9% Psychedelics 7% 10% Ecstasy 5% 11% Heroin 5% 3% GRADE 9 SANTA CRUZ STATE Alcohol 51% 48% Tobacco 31% 41% Marijuana 31% 24% Inhalants 15% 9% Cocaine 5% 4% Methamphetamine 5% 3% Psychedelics 6% 4% Ecstasy 5% 6% Heroin 2% 2% GRADE 7 SANTA CRUZ STATE Alcohol 21% 21% Tobacco 14% 19% Marijuana 10% 8% Inhalants 10% 6% Source: Santa Cruz County Youth Drug and Alcohol Survey, 2002 - --- MAP posted-by: Beth