Pubdate: Fri, 06 Jan 2006
Source: Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Copyright: 2006 Sun-Sentinel Company
Contact:  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/159
Author: David Royse, Associated Press

MOSRT DRUG USE BY FLORIDA TEENS ON THE DECLINE, SURVEY SAYS

TALLAHASSEE -- Teenage use of most drugs in Florida continued to
decline last year, Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday citing results of an
annual survey of middle and high school students.

Teen use of 18 of the 21 drugs on the survey dropped in 2004, and
state officials cited educational programs and targeted law
enforcement for the decline.

Most types of drug use by teens have dropped steadily over the
previous four years. Also Thursday, Gov. Jeb Bush said he would ask
lawmakers to increase spending on drug control and prevention by more
than 6 percent next year.

Bush's proposed budget, which will be released early this year for
lawmakers to consider in the spring, will include a proposal to boost
drug control spending to $309 million. That would include a half
million dollar increase in funding for the Florida Violent Crime and
Drug Control Council for fighting drug related crime and an $11.7
million increase for Department of Children and Families treatment
programs.

``Clearly, the governor understands that funding substance abuse
treatment is a sound investment which studies show saves the state $7
for every $1 invested,'' John Daigle, director of the Florida Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Association, said in a statement. ``There are still
some issues outstanding that need our ... continued work,'' Bush said.
The governor said too many teens say they drink alcohol, and that the
number of teens abusing prescription drugs is a worry.

The percentage of students who said that they'd had an alcoholic drink
in the 30 days before the survey ticked up slightly in 2004 to just
over 30 percent. The trend over the last four years for alcohol use is
about steady, while trend lines for other types of drugs are going
significantly downward.

Bush said alcohol abuse by teens probably would be a major target for
state drug control officials in the coming year.

Increasing use of another type of drug also stands out in the
survey.

``The one area that concerns me a great deal is depressant use going
up and it's almost all girls,'' said James McDonough, the state's drug
control policy chief. ``We've got to do something about it.''

Between 2000 and 2004 the number of students who said they've taken
depressants increased 45 percent, from about 5 percent of surveyed
students to about 7 percent of those surveyed. The number of those who
said they had taken them in the last month went up 65 percent over the
four years. The increase was most marked among girls. McDonough said
the research wasn't clear on the reason for the difference between
boys and girls.

Depressants include tranquilizers or anti-anxiety drugs, such as
Valium or Xanax. The trend toward abuse of prescription drugs by teens
is a national one.

``The explosion in the prescription of addictive opioids, depressants
and stimulants has, for many children, made the medicine cabinet a
greater temptation and threat than the illegal street drug dealer,''
Joseph Califano, president of the National Center on Addiction and
Substance Abuse at Columbia University, wrote last year.
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