Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jul 2006
Source: Malden Observer (MA)
Copyright: 2006 Community Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www2.townonline.com/malden/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3535
Author: Dan Baer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG USE, VIOLENCE DOWN AMONG TEENS

Marijuana and alcohol abuse and other unhealthy choices  have 
declined among students in the Malden Public  Schools according to a 
survey sponsored by Healthy  Malden, Inc.

The Youth Risk Behavior survey, which is given to high  school 
students every odd year and middle school  students every even year 
shows a 5 percent decrease in  alcohol abuse, 6 percent decrease in 
tobacco use and a  3 percent decrease in marijuana use since 2003.

"This survey is pretty standard each year at the  schools, but what 
the numbers show is a great  improvement," said Dr. David Kilpatrick, 
executive  director of Healthy Malden. "This shows that a lot of  the 
programs that we are doing in the schools are  working."

The survey, which is used in other schools nationwide,  asks a wide 
range of questions focusing not just on  drug abuse, but also 
violence, eating habits, safety  choices such as wearing bike helmets 
or seat belts and  sexual activity. The purpose is to gain knowledge 
on  what issues are most affecting the students' lifestyles  and what 
types of programs Healthy Malden should focus  on in the schools.

"We have now been doing the survey long enough where we  have the 
ability to weed out inaccurate information and  really get a good 
census on what is really taking place  both inside and outside of our 
schools," said  Kilpatrick. "There are a lot of surveys that other 
area  schools do that are pretty similar, and that helps us  also in 
working with the community to prevent unhealthy  behavior."

Healthy Malden runs several programs throughout the  city for 
residents of all ages, but its focus on the  lifestyle of students 
and children in the area is very  prominent throughout the schools.

"We do everything we can to educate the students. We  usually have a 
few speakers each year, sometimes former  junkies, sometimes (Police 
Chief Ken) Coye comes in to  talk to the kids," said Kilpatrick. "We 
also offer  several after school programs that can provide some fun 
activities to the kids instead of pushing them toward  unhealthy choices."

The results of the surveys are dispersed throughout the  education 
department and given to the board of health  and the center for 
disease control. The more positive  results the city achieves, the 
greater chance that the  programs have for funding.

"We are pleased with the results and we hope that it  shows that our 
programs do work," said Kilpatrick. "We  have already been working 
with the city on the funding  they received to prevent gang activity, 
and we hope to  use these positive survey results to further help the 
city and the schools move forward."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman