cannabisnews.com: Survey Finds Marijuana Use Up Among Teens 





Survey Finds Marijuana Use Up Among Teens 
Posted by CN Staff on June 18, 2002 at 07:49:18 PT
By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff Correspondent
Source: Boston Globe 
While more Framingham teenagers are using marijuana than three years ago, fewer are drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes, according to results from a survey of high school students. The study, conducted in December and released Friday, is the sixth by Social Science Research and Evaluation Inc. and funded by the Framingham Coalition for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 
''I think we still have a lot of work to do,'' said Margo Deane, executive director of the Framingham Coalition. According to the survey, 22 percent of high school students had used marijuana at least once in the past 30 days, up from 19 percent in 1998. In addition, 41 percent of teenagers surveyed reported using marijuana at least once in their lifetime, compared with 38 percent in 1998. Meanwhile, 33 percent of students said they drank at least once in the past 30 days, down from 36 percent in 1998. The number of students who said they've had at least one drink at some point in their lives jumped from 63 percent to 58 percent in 2001. The number of students who reported smoking cigarettes at least once in their lifetime also dropped, from 49 percent to 41 percent in 2001. Wayne M. Harding, of Social Science Research and Evaluation, said these rates of risky behavior mirror national trends: Marijuana use by teenagers is up across the country. But Framingham consistently registers percentages below the state and national averages. The voluntary and anonymous survey questioned students at Keefe Technical High School, Framingham High School, and the alternative high school. About 1,800 students participated in the survey, which had more than 100 questions and was adapted from large-scale national surveys designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ''The survey is promising, in that, by and large, we are seeing some leveling or declining statistics in terms of risky behavior,'' said Superintendent Mark Smith. For example, the number of students practicing safe sex has increased since 1998, with birth control pill usage jumping from 25 percent to 35 percent. Teenagers also reported increased use of condoms. Seventy-seven percent said they had used condoms the last time they had intercourse, compared with 75 percent three years ago. The percentage of students who said they had voluntary sex - 33 percent - has not risen since 1998. Smith said he still feels this statistic is too high. ''In general, I would like to see our young people less sexually active,'' he said. In addition to tackling teenage sex, community leaders are looking to address new problems affecting the area. This was the first year the survey asked about the use of ecstasy, a drug that has become increasingly popular with teenagers. According to the study, 3 percent of students reported using the drug at least once in the past 30 days, and 10 percent said they used ecstasy at least once in their lives. ''It's becoming more commonplace, and we need to address this,'' Deane said. Smith described the survey as ''a very sophisticated instrument that yields credible data.'' In addition to risky behavior, the survey examined attitudes on violence and participation in school activities. Results from the study revealed an across-the-board leveling off of or decline in participation in school activities. For example, participation in music, band, and choir dropped from 17 percent in 1998 to 14 percent in 2001. Involvement in peer leadership also declined from 15 percent to 12 percent. Meanwhile, participation in student government and sports plateaued at 10 percent and 39 percent, respectively. ''Whatever data we get, even if it tells us something we would rather not hear, is good data,'' Smith said. ''It's better to know based on some scientific effort than it is to just put your head in the sand.'' Officials from the school, police, and the Framingham Coalition met earlier this month to discuss the results from the survey. The meeting, Smith said, demonstrates that risky adolescent behavior is not just a school issue, but a community problem. Deane said she plans to use the data in a campaign to change views of social norms, such as the perception that all teenagers drink. The Coalition wanted to launch a marketing effort this year, but didn't get the grant money it needed for the project. Note: Fewer are drinking, smoking cigarettes; ecstasy use rising.This story ran on page B2 of the Boston Globe on 6/18/2002. Source: Boston Globe (MA)Author: Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff CorrespondentPublished: June 18, 2002Copyright: 2002 Globe Newspaper CompanyContact: letter globe.comWebsite: http://www.boston.com/globe/Related Articles:Why Kids Ignore Anti-Drug Adshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13085.shtmlDowner Story for the Media -- Don't Do Drug Adshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12909.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by The GCW on June 18, 2002 at 18:47:19 PT
The wall is coming apart.
This may be less trivial when we look at it closely.1.	In the give and take world, cannabis HAS gained and nic and booze HAS diminished.2.	This does help lessen the amount of kids addicted on tobaccoo, which is the highest of addictive substances. 3.	This does show that kids ARE receptive of what harms them less, in this party, risky, addictive, world.4.	This is the kind of news that Uncle Sam’s friends, Nic and Booze do not like, and it will raise the ire of the evil, need for moolah. Will They become more reckless?5.	This is a clear hole in the wall, and it is only one facet, causing a rupture. By itself, it may seem trivial, but it is just one Truth in a stone of many facets. We have many small trivial Truths, that always add up to all Truth.Simple math.How many young people does this 3% represent?Could that be that many more young people that will turn out the Truth?Very good.And this is a trend. This number is growing and the gov's efforts only hasten the movement of Truth.
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Comment #4 posted by BGreen on June 18, 2002 at 17:37:12 PT
Statistically insignificant
Although not stated in the article, the typical rate of error is about +3%/-3%, meaning that a 3% rise or decline tells us nothing.Their "victories" exist by withholding information, not by full disclosure.
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Comment #3 posted by Industrial Strength on June 18, 2002 at 14:36:51 PT
trivial
The changes, although slight, may in fact be a precurser to a more substantial shift in pot vs alcohol consumption. 
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Comment #2 posted by krutch on June 18, 2002 at 10:14:14 PT:
So What
Accept for the data on cigarette smoking decreasing, nothing here appears to me to be significant. MJ use up by 3%. This is a trivial increase. The numbers for booze show a trivial decrease. The numbers don't suggest that much has changed since 1998.
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Comment #1 posted by Dan B on June 18, 2002 at 08:48:17 PT:
Great News!
Too bad it isn't reported as such.If the same figures were true for the entire nation, we would see a marked improvement of public health, a decline in automobile accidents (alcohol would be less of a factor on the roads), and an overall increase of brain power.So, what are these jerks complaining about?Simple: the people who want to keep cannabis illegal also want to make Americans die faster, become more violent, and think slower. On another note, here's a link to part of a talk by Mike Ruppert regarding the drug war. You may recall that Mike Ruppert is the creator of the From the Wilderness website and author of the now-famous timeline showing how the puzzle pieces of Bush's involvement in 9-11 fit together. a former military intelligence officer, this guy has the goods on the government.http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-1369.htmlDan B
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